September-October 1998 Volume 50, No. 5, Issue No. 473
The Dead Will Live Again!
The Last Great Day pictures
the time we will once again see our loved ones
and have a chance to teach them God’s wonderful way of life.
BY JUNE NARBER HARRISON
Nothing sobers us more quickly that the thought of death. When some one close to you dies, it is a heart breaking experience. My own father, Vernon Narber, died when I was sixteen years old. I saw him for the last time in a hospital where he was dying of colon cancer. On that morning in October 1982, he uttered his last words to me, "Good-bye sweet heart." He died two days later.
A Motivating Factor in Our Christian Life
Believing that we will see our loved ones again, is one of the strongest articles of our faith—our belief in what God has promised us. It is the motivating factor that keeps me focused on faithfully walking God's way of life to receive the gift of eternal life in His kingdom. The idea of living forever excites me, but moreover it is the prospect of seeing my father again that inspires me. What is eternity for, if it cannot be shared with our loved ones who died before us? Of course, my dad will have to first be brought to mortal life and learn to live God's way of life, repent and be baptized (Acts 2:36-40; John 5:25; Romans 8:11).
 At age 10, my dad, Vernon, helped me set-up my first doll house. |
Is Man an Immortal Soul?
When God created Adam from the dust of the ground, He breathed life into him and the first human became a living soul (Heb. nephesh - a living breathing being) (Genesis 2:7). However, a human being does not possess an immortal soul. When a human dies, it can be compared to permanent sleep, until the Father brings the person back to life in a future resurrection. "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). The Catholic immortal soul doctrine teaches that the physical body dies, but the soul lives on immediately after death, and goes directly to heaven or hell, depending on whether the person had accepted Christ during his earthly life. Contrary to this belief, John 3:12-13 teaches us that no man has ever gone to heaven, except Jesus Christ after He was resurrected, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."
Heaven and Hell?
The view of heaven and hell, taught as truth in the majority of Sunday-keeping churches, came from the Roman Catholic inscribed beliefs that originated from Dante's view of Heaven and Hell. Even non-religious people believe that the immortal soul lives on. Eastern religions teach the endless cycle of reincarnation, through which a human soul can return to life as an animal, insect or a human, depending on how good they were their former life. The Bible makes it plain that we have one earthly life and one human identity. It also comforts us with the truth that every human being will be offered the gift of eternal life (I Thessalonians 4:15-18). My father will not come back in a new unknown lifeform, but when he is resurrected, he will still look like he did and still be known as Vernon (Ezekiel 37). I am so thankful that I do not have to worry about him being in hell fire, because he did not know the truth of God. I am even more relieved knowing he will not be reincarnated into a chicken or a cow! Our God and His ways are so far above human instituted fables (Isaiah 55:9).
The Last Great Day
During the fall Holy Day season, called the Feast of Tabernacles, we celebrate the future event when the Kingdom of God will be established on the earth and Christ will rule from Jerusalem. It is also a celebration of our resurrection into the Family of God or as some would prefer to call it, into "immortality" as God's children. A very special day falls at the end of this seven-day feast. It is called the Last Great Day. A few of the churches of God celebrate these days listed in Leviticus 23; however, all Holy Day observers do not understand or observe this day. Why? Perhaps they do not understand the symbolism of it. Personally, this day symbolizes the day I will see my father again.
All Humans Are Resurrected Again
Every man will be judged at the great white throne according to his works. This judgment day occurs immediately proceeding the 1,000-year millennium rule of Christ and the Saints. Billions of dead will be resurrected to physical life to learn the truth of God for the first time (Revelation 20:11-13). It is believed that the physically resurrected humans will be allowed about 100 years to live and learn God's truth. During this time, they must repent of their sins and be converted. After all, a person can only be "judged" if convicted of the laws of God. The person who sins ignorantly is not guilty as one who sins willfully, knowing that he is sinning by breaking the law of God. Those who are not converted and baptized, are not under the new covenant. All humans must be granted repentance from their sins (Romans 2:4) and learn to worship Christ (Philippians 2:10). Only then, can they be granted eternal life. Certain churches teach that Revelation 20:11-15 is a single event, which happens in one day. If this were true, how could humans be resurrected to a physical existence with adequate time to learn and live God's truth? It would be unfair, since many Christians have had a whole lifetime to learn.
People resurrected on this day will include infants who died at birth and they need time to grow up. In this resurrection there will be: other young children; tribal people from the remote parts of the undeveloped world; believers who were not called and chosen or who didn't really know the truth of God, but were deceived by the world's version of "Christianity;" famous people; known criminals and killers; international political leaders; and the multitudes of humans who lived and died without any knowledge of Christ. A person must have the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit to be part of the first resurrection that occurs on the day when Christ returns to rule all nations.
The Holy Days Picture Victory Over Flesh
The first fruit harvest is the smallest physical harvest (which is symbolized by the Feast of Pentecost). This is symbolic of the first resurrection of God's chosen people. The fall harvest in contrast is the largest harvest of crops, (which is symbolized by the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day). Certain people are hostile against the observance of scriptural Holy Days, and see them as burdens, which they believe were nailed to the tree when the Messiah died. When we understand what the Holy Days picture in God's salvation plan for humanity, they become a joy to keep because they picture our future victory over the flesh and the peaceful unity of all humanity in the Kingdom of God. Merely accepting Christ as the Savior is not the summation, we must obey God's laws and live a righteous life through Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20).
Everyone Must Choose God’s Way of Life
I am confident that when my father awakens from his "sleep," he will see me in my resurrected body and realize that God's ways are wonderful to live. I pray that he is quickly converted to God's way of life and granted eternal life, and thereafter resurrected to immortality. These physically resurrected people must be taught about God’s way of life in order to understand what sin is and what is required to live a righteous life. Those who do not accept the offer of the "tree of life," will be destroyed in the "Lake of Fire" at the end of this "Great White Throne" judgment (Revelation 20: 13-15). When people see the resurrected saints and experience Earth as a paradise in the millennium rest and Satan’s deception is no more, how can they hesitate in accepting God’s way?
This Great Day, the last annual Holy Day, pictures a time when all loved ones will be reunited. It pictures the joyous (but also sober) conclusion of God's plan of salvation for humanity. Revelation 21:4 tells us that God will wipe away all tears and they will be no more death, sorrow, crying or pain. These former things (caused by sin) will be gone, as a new age will have dawned.
Take Comfort That the Dead Will Live Again
Take comfort in the truth that the dead will live again at a future resurrection, be given a fair chance to learn the truth of God, repent and be baptized, and finally be changed into spirit composition and live for all eternity. No human will suffer eternal punishment in a satanically inspired hell or in an endless cycle of reincarnations. These fables, crafted by demons and evil godless individuals, will soon be crushed under the feet of the resurrected saints. However, everyone must make a choice whether to follow and obey God or Satan. The dead will live again. I can hear my loving father brought back to life saying with his soothing voice, "Hi sweet heart, you sure look different! Could you fill me in on what is going on here?" I will answer him, "Sure dad, I can't wait to tell you what is going on. How would you like to live forever?"
TSSJune Narber Harrison, a Director of BSA,
can be reached at 6325-9 Falls of Neuse Road., Suite 193, Raleigh, NC 27615 or at
ejnarber@mindspring.com.