THE NEW COVENANT EXPLAINED - PART 3

The New Covenant is different from the Old (Sinai) Covenant is one crucial aspect - where God's law is written. While the Old Covenant was written on slabs of stones, the New Covenant is to be inscribed in the fleshly tablets of the hearts of those who are converted by receiving the gift of God's Holy Spirit - Jeremiah 31: 31-34. This would require a change in the law regarding the office of the High Priest - Hebrews 7:12. The Lord Jesus as the High Priest could assist all true believers in obeying God from the heart as He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, ever making intercession for those who are called by God.

The Old Covenant could only remind the people of their guilt and the need for redemption, but could not blot out their sins through the blood of bulls and goats - Hebrews 10:4. In the New Covenant, the blood of Jesus Christ permanently washes away the sins of those who truly repent - John 1:29; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5. This paves the way for true repentance and reconciliation between God and man through Jesus Christ. Hence, the foundation is laid for God's laws to be written in the hearts of man that comes with obedience made possible with the help of God's Spirit indwelling in the mind of each believer - for all shall know me (Hebrews 8:11). That was not made available under the Old Covenant. With such change, all believers can come boldly before God the Father through Jesus Christ who is the High Priest to help us overcome sin and seek forgiveness before the throne of grace - Hebrews 4;15-16.

In A.D. 70, the Roman army captured Jerusalem and the Jewish temple was completely destroyed. With it, the Levitical priesthood system of worship including the animal ritual sacrificial, which were closely interlinked, came to an end. Jesus Christ foretold of this event and God had allowed it to happen  - thereby ending the Sinai Covenant system of worship. The book of Hebrews explain explicitly that only the symbolic features - food and drink and various ceremonial washing - of the Old Covenant were done away with in the New Covenant. Nowhere in Hebrews did the writer states that the laws of God defining righteousness were changed or abolished. The only things that had changed were the symbolic features of the worship and the system of  Levitical priesthood from one that is temporary to the High Priest who is permanent since He lives forever!

The issue of physical circumcision has been hotly debated among members of the early church during the time of the Apostle Paul. Some contended that unless the non Jewish believers are circumcised according to the law of Moses, they cannot be saved- Acts 15:1. The apostles held a conference in Jerusalem to address the issue so that justification through faith in Christ would not be distorted. Centuries earlier, Moses was commanded to pen thus -  the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed - Deuteronomy 30:6. Paul also affirms that a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter - Romans 2:29.

In Galatians, Paul explained extensively  that a new believer who is circumcised in the heart is a ' new creature or new creation' in Christ - 6:15. Justification is not through the law, for if that is so, then Christ died in vain - 2:21. But that does not mean that the righteous moral laws of God had been done away with - nailed to the cross - and they are free to live and do as they like. Many misinterpreted Paul's argument to their own destruction - 2 Peter 3:16!

Obedience to God's laws does not come by physical circumcision but through the Spirit of God. Circumcision of the heart is the heartfelt repentance that comes about from the inner change of heart and mind and not through observance of some ritualistic practices - 3:1-3.

A common misunderstanding over the debate of law and grace is regarding the interpretation of the phrase "nailing it to the cross" - Colossians 2:14.  The Lord Jesus Christ did take out something at His death on the cross, but that something was the record of all our sins and transgressions - not the laws of God.  At Christ's crucifixion, a signboard was nailed to the cross stating THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS - a charge of treason for which Jesus did not commit. Jesus was framed by the religious leaders fearing that He was up against the Roman authorities by proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom of God, and thereby threatening their hold on position and power - for whosoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar (John19:12). 

Jesus was thereby charged as a transgressor. He did not defend Himself against the charge because by accepting the death penalty for the false charge, He became a substitute sin bearer for the legitimate charge that God has against us for our sins and transgressions. Hence, Jesus "wiped out" our sins and transgressions by taking the charge upon Himself, and in so doing make possible the forgiveness of sin for all who would put their faith and trust in Him!

THE NEW COVENANT EXPLAINED - PART 2

The Lord Jesus came as the Messenger of the New Covenant - Malachi 3:1. He did not come to
put away the laws of God and replace it with grace. However, both law and grace can coexist harmoniously and they are inseparable. For without law there would be no need for grace, for sin is the transgression of the law - 1 John-3:4. If there is no law to break, there is no concept of sin.

Since God is perfect and holy, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. Therefore,  God's Plan of Salvation encompassed the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through it all, He might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9) for forgiveness of our sins. This is God's grace, His favor, available for everyone who repent by turning away from sin. Those who obey and are given the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32) are people redeemed from every lawless deed, purified and set apart as a group of special people zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). No amount of good works by man can cancel the death penalty for sin save the redemption work of Jesus Christ!

Grace is not just God squashing the death penalty for those who obey Him and receive forgiveness, but much more than that. It also involves the gift of His Holy Spirit to help the believer obey His law from the heart and eventually obtain eternal life in the kingdom of God. Hence, without law there would be no way to define sin; and without grace there would be no way to find forgiveness for all our sins! Contrary to popular belief, both law and grace are interlinked and required for salvation and eternal life. They are not mutually exclusive.

The Sinai Covenant (Old Covenant) given through Moses was not flawed per se, but the problem lies in the people's lack of a willing heart to obey God's law - Hebrews 8:7-8. Also, since the people then were not given the Holy Spirit due to disobedience, they could not understand the full meaning and significance of God's law given to them because the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God, and foolishness unto him (1 Corinthians 2: 14). But the day is coming when God will give them His Holy Spirit and write His laws on the fleshly tablets of their hearts - 2 Corinthians 3:3.

The writer of Hebrew (whom I believe is the Apostle Paul) states that Jesus Christ came as the Mediator of a better covenant which was established with better promises. It is a better covenant because it included the gift of eternal life which was not available in the Sinai Covenant. Such better promises came about only after Jesus Christ had been crucified and resurrected from the dead! Coupled with the gift of God's Spirit, it can transform hearts and minds of those who will repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Those who eventually succeed to become over-comers will receive the promise of eternal inheritance - Hebrews 9:15.

The Sinai Covenant was temporary in that until everything it symbolized were fulfilled by or through Jesus Christ. Such symbolic features like ceremonial rituals were no longer required under the New Covenant when Jesus Christ came as the sacrificial Lamb  to replace bulls and goats and became our High Priest in place of the Levitical priesthood. It does NOT do away with the moral laws of God of righteousness like The Ten Commandments. All the moral and righteous laws of God remain intact even under the New Covenant! In fact, it expects a higher standard in that not only the letters of the laws but the spirit and intent of God's laws have to be kept. In A.D 70 when the physical temple was destroyed and burnt to the ground by the Roman army, all form of ceremonial rituals practiced by the Jewish system of temple worship came to a halt.

THE NEW COVENANT EXPLAINED - PART 1

There is a deep misunderstanding between the Old Covenant (also known as the Sinai Covenant) of the Old Testament and the New Covenant of the New Testament. Theological debate on these two Covenants centered along the line of law and grace - that the Old Covenant is all about the law and the New Covenant is all about grace. Many believe that the New Covenant taught by the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles was introduced to do away with the law of the Old Testament to inaugurate a dispensation of grace. But is that the correct understanding of Scriptures?

We will attempt to examine the biblical meaning of these two covenants and their role in God's plan for mankind. But first do note that the Bible can be seen as a series of covenants that reveal the relationship God intends to establish with man who is created in His image. It is like a series of promises, but with conditions attached. Those who meet these conditions receive the blessings of God and the reverse holds true for those who refuse to abide by the requirements!

Through His servants (Deuteronomy 5:29; Jeremiah 24:7; 32:40; Hebrews 8:8-11), God revealed that He intends to give His people a new heart and mind that conforms to His plan and purpose for their lives - so that man can acquire the righteous character of Christ-likeness to live for eternity. But how is it to be done? - through believing in Jesus and His gospel message of the kingdom of God. Only then can those who are called of God be empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit to change hearts and minds to conform to His ways instead of the ways of this world ruled by Satan!

God's plan from the beginning is for all human beings to walk the path that leads to eternal life. Only Jesus Christ has ever succeeded in doing so with the rest falling short (Romans 3:23). On the night before His crucifixion, The Lord Jesus instituted the New Covenant - 'this cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you' (Luke 22:20). This New Covenant involves the detailed plan of salvation for mankind instituted by God! Hence, it is important to understand it correctly.

The central message of Jesus Christ is the gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). In it, God plans to transform all human beings to conform to the likeness of Christ, starting with the hearts and minds. Although the True Church that Christ built is to continue His work, only relatively few are called in this church age, with the rest of mankind to be called after the close of the Millennium Age (Revelation: 20:5). Christ first coming only begins the process, the fulfillment of God's plan for the salvation of all mankind is yet ahead!

The Sinai Covenant or Old Covenant established the ancient national kingdom of Israel, but the New Covenant promises that the Messiah Jesus Christ will establish a more inclusive kingdom that covers the whole earth (Isaiah 9:7; Matthew 25:34; Luke 22:29-30; Revelation 11:15). All who meet the terms specified in God's covenants will inherit the kingdom of God (also known as kingdom of Heaven). The Lord Jesus Christ has set an example for us to follow by meeting all the terms perfectly.

To put it succinctly, the New Covenant is all about changing the hearts and minds of believers. This can only happen through obedience when God will give them the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32) to empower them to make the change. The Israelites under the Sinai Covenant did not obey the law of God and they were not given the Holy Spirit, apart from the few who were righteous kings and called of God to be prophets. For sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). But the time is coming - upon the return of Jesus Christ to earth - when God will put His law in their minds and write them on their hearts (Hebrews 8:8-10).

There is no indication whatsoever that God has done away with His law at the first advent of Jesus Christ. One the contrary, He has strengthened it by requiring His people (meaning all Christians) to observe not just outwardly the letter of the law but inwardly the intent and substance of it. The recipients of the promised New Covenant will have their hearts and minds engraved with the law of God.

What has been been done away with through the New Covenant is the ceremonial law of cleansing and animal sacrifice as given in the book of Hebrews chapter 10 and not the moral law of God like the Ten Commandments! This is because of a change from physical and temporary high priests (they died after some time) from the tribe of Levi to One that is Spiritual and permanent in the Person of Jesus Christ. Such change requires a change in the ritual and ceremonial law under the Old Covenant (Sinai Covenant). But Christendom portrays that all the law of God had being done away with - nailed to the cross. In truth, only the death penalty had been nailed to the cross - not the moral law of God - as no sinful man, apart from Jesus Christ, can satisfy the requirement of the law of God to put away the death penalty due to sin!

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH SUFFERING?

The world is going through uncharted territories with so much problems and unresolved issues but seemingly with no solutions in sight. Wars and conflicts are filling the news headlines with people killed and collateral damages mounting on every front. Though man may be able to send satellites to Mars, mankind has no answer to resolve man's inhumanity to man.

Take poverty and hunger for example, millions are poor and hungry without even the basic necessity of food and water to sustain life. The gross injustice done to the discriminated and marginalized in society is so rampant that it is happening even in Western developed countries.The seemingly endless series of problems and sufferings that millions are going through has no light at the end of the tunnel. Despite all the wisdom, wealth and power of nations, nothing seems able to stop the tide, let alone resolve them.

The question in most people's mind is - why God is allowing all the innocent to suffer? The popular explanation is because of sin due to the Fall of Adam and Eve - the first parents of the human race - and hence the consequences ever since. But while sin is ever present since the Fall because man had chosen the knowledge of good and evil - meaning that man chose to go their own way which has some good and some evil choices as well. The bad choices man made are the causes that result in bad effects, and this is happening all around us, albeit on a massive scale.

One of the fruits of the Spirit of God  - His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)- is listed as longsuffering (Numbers 14:18, Galatians 5:22). The word literally means 'to suffer long'. For those who are called to be followers of Christ, and eventually sons of God, they need to develop Christ-like character and that includes longsuffering - the ability to bear suffering! If God were to eradicate suffering from this world, it would go against His will for His children to be partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). But God will not allow His children to be tempted and to suffer beyond what they are able to endure - 1 Corinthians 10:13.

King Solomon penned that God built suffering into man's life for a purpose - that he might become a mature and better person through it all - Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, 14,15,18. This is evident in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ and His suffering. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered - Hebrews 5:8. Our loving and perfect God has great power and infinite understanding (Psalm 147:5) and He expects the same from His children (Matthew 5:48).

The Bible tells us that one of God's character is longsuffering. Since God's plan is to develop His children  to have the  perfect and righteous character like the Lord Jesus Christ in order for them to be born again as immortal sons of God to rule and reign in His coming kingdom, it is essential for them to learn the value of human suffering in this world! - Hebrews 2:10. Nothing else short will do. Human mind will never understand why a powerful and loving God will allow mankind to suffer the way it is. Theologians taught that it is all a result of sin. While there is some truth in this, it is not the complete picture. Many suffer through no fault of their own, even more so than the wicked!

Similarly, the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:21, 'For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps'. Those who aspire to be His followers should follow in His footstep to learn the value of suffering and be mature in Christ - 1 Peter 2:19-20. ' If we suffer, we shall also reign with him' - 2 Timothy 2:12.  These verses explain that sufferings build character required of sons of God.

God's true servants like David, Job, Daniel, Paul and Peter among many others all suffer in one form or another. David declared, 'It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes' - Psalm 119:71. The Apostle Paul had endured it all (2 Corinthians 11:24-30), perhaps more than any others apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Suffering is unpleasant but necessary to learn the lesson God has intended in His infinite wisdom and power engineered in our lives. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution - 2 Timothy 3:12. The passage in 2 Timothy 3 is written in the context of the last days - the very time we are living in now! But take heart that God will not allow His called elect to endure beyond what they are able to bear, for He will provide them with a way of escape - 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.

THE TRUTH ABOUT HEAVEN

For centuries, traditional Christianity have been proclaiming that all who trusted in Jesus Christ will go to heaven when they die, regardless of what happen between the time of acceptance and death. Theologians and preachers have been trumpeting that heaven is the reward of the saved. Such doctrine has been built into the psyche of Christendom that countering such doctrine would almost certain be branded a heretic. Truth is, that is not what Scripture teaches.

At the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus said, Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth - Matthew 5:5. In Revelation 5:10, the Apostle recorded, And hast made them (the saints) unto our God kings and priests, and they (the saints) shall reign on the earth. These verses show us that God's plan for the saved is to rule on earth with Christ after their resurrection.

Christ was given the right to rule in the kingdom of God by God the Father  before His return to earth - Daniel 7:14 clearly reveals that He is coming for His people and the kingdom of God will be on earth, not the saved going to heaven - that all people, nations and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. It goes on to reveal that the saints will possess the kingdom of God - 7:22. Similarly, the book of Revelation affirms the Lord's teaching that the saved is to share rulership in the kingdom of God with Christ over all nations and peoples on earth - And He that overcome, and keep my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations (Revelation 2:26; 5:10) ; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (Revelation 20:4).

In John 3:13, Jesus said, And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. So did the Apostle Peter preached on the day of Pentecost that David is both dead and buried and his sepulchre (tomb) is with us unto this day - Acts 2:29. A few verses down in verse 34, it was recorded for us that David is not ascended into the heavens. Since David is a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22),  fell asleep and saw corruption (Acts 13: 36) what is the basis to assume that all other believers will pop up in heaven with they die? This is simply baseless assumption albeit with good intention to soothe and comfort those who are bereaved and mourned!

The Lord Jesus Christ's throne is in Jerusalem on earth as He will sit on the throne of David when He returns (Luke 1:32-33) while the Heavenly Father's throne is in heaven. Together with the resurrected saints (who will by then be born again as immortal spirit-composed beings), they will execute judgment upon all people of the earth - Jude 15. When James and John came to Jesus to request tenure on the throne in the kingdom of God, the Lord replied that such positions are not His to give - but it shall be given them for whom it is prepared (Mark 10: 35-45). The implication is that whom the Father has called (John 6:44, 65) and are prepared to pay the price of obedience will qualify (for many are called but few are chosen - Matthew 20:16; 22:14).

When the Lord returns, He will separate the sheep (right hand) and the goat (left hand) and those on His right hand who are blessed of the Father will inherit the kingdom (of God) prepared for them from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:33-34). The Scripture is explicitly clear about man's ultimate destiny but Satan deceived humanity into believing that the kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven is heaven itself, which is not. God's standard is very high and all born again saints made immortal spirit being endowed with authority and power from on high will judge even the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). It is not merely "believing in Jesus and get to heaven when you die" philosophy propounded by man. Millions simply believe on Him but not His words and teachings!

During memorial services, pastors who conduct the services will often preach on John 14:1-2, comforting those who mourn to take heart that their loved ones who passed on are  "now in heaven with mansions far better than earthly ones". The appropriate translation ought to be rooms or offices, where those who are called will be given different appointments, based on rewards (Luke 19: 12-19), in the kingdom of God much like in large corporations where office bearers have their own rooms or offices to work in.

True Christians are overcomers (Revelation 3:5,21) destined for great works (Ephesians 2:10) and not simply get to heaven to "walk the pearly gates and streets of gold" or "frolicking the beaches all day" in wanton idleness for all eternity! God did not create the universe with trillions time trillions of stars just for show - it has to have a purpose for humanity to have dominion over all his creation (Colossians 1:16-17) - of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom... forever - Isaiah 9:7.

Men and women of faith who died have yet to receive salvation - not even patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (later named Israel) - these all died in faith and were buried in the graves, not having received the promises (of salvation and city of Jerusalem where the kingdom of God will be headquartered) - Hebrews 11:8-16. All are awaiting for the resurrection, for if there is no resurrection, our faith is all in vain - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

In Genesis 5:24, it was recorded that Enoch walked with God; and he was not; for God took him. Many concluded that Enoch was "taken up into heaven". But he was not found (Hebrews 11:5) with his body removed by God to another place for burial (just like Moses) - the same word used for transporting Jacob's body to Sychem for burial (Acts 7:16).

One often hears in Sunday school of how prophet Elijah was "taken up by a whirlwind into heaven " - 2 Kings 2: 1 &11. In biblical term, the word "heaven" has three meanings - the first heaven is the atmosphere that envelops earth while the second heaven is the outer space where no man can survive unaided; and the third heaven is where the throne of God is (2 Corinthians 12:2). Since Jesus Christ categorically states that no man has been up in the third heaven (John 3:13), that leaves one of two possibilities. But no man can survive in outer space without oxygen and the right equipment, Elijah must have been somewhere on earth but at a different location! Some years later Elijah wrote a letter rebuking king Jehoram for not following the ways of his father Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 21:12). Since only earthlings sent letters, Elijah cannot be in the third heaven!

An important point worthy of note is the patriarchs of old who were people of faith has yet to receive the promise of salvation because God's plan encompass all of us who would believe in the church age - God having provided some better thing for us (those living in the church age including now), that they without us should not be made perfect (resurrected into immortal spirit beings) - Hebrews 11:40. The Lord's prayer is "Thy kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10) - not we get into heaven. Three times in Revelation 22 - verses 7, 12 and 20 - the Lord Jesus said "I come quickly" and "my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (verse 12). What an amazing and loving God we have yet so few truly understand His plan and purpose for humanity!

THE TRUTH ABOUT HELL

Most people believed that when a believer died in Christ, he/she will pop up in heaven. Whereas when an unbeliever died, he/she will be eternally burned and tortured in hell. But what most people did not know is that such teaching is pagan in origin and man-made and not the teaching of Scripture. So where does all the talk about heaven and hell come from? The answer will surprise most people - from Greek and Roman philosophers and ancient poets/writers.

Many people, regardless of religious affiliation, believed in a perpetual fiery hell where the wicked will be burning in pain and suffering presumably without end. The idea was first penned by an Italian poet named Dante Alighieri (A.D. 1265-1321) in the early 1300s in his famous work The Divine Comedy.

In the poem, Dante dreamed that the Roman poet Virgil took him on a guided tour of hell, where the souls of wicked people undergo nine circles of hell in perpetual torment and suffering. He let his imagination runs with demons poking, jabbing and whipping the poor souls suffering in boiling blood, buried with their head first and feet burning in scorching flames. Some are frozen in a lake up to their neck to suffer the agony of bitter cold.

Such images have successfully etched in the minds of masses from different religions and cultures up to the present time! Even the Taoist monks practiced some rituals to help departed souls ride through nine circles of hell during the wake of those departed. I know because I was a participant at the wake when my grandparents passed on decades ago. Dante's fictional story has grasped the attention of people from all religious affiliation and culture much more than the Bible. Even the Catholics and Protestants are not spared from such influence, right up to the present time. The Catholic Encyclopedia calls it the Sacred Poem and the fictional story has largely remain the standard understanding of hell and all those who go there will have to endure for time without end!

Let's look at what the Bible actually teaches - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Death means the absence of life, not eternal life in  hell! For all who died, there is no consciousness of the passing of time or anything going on in and around the world. But some may wonder where did Dante got the idea from - the famous Greek philosopher Plato. His concept of the immortality of the soul is a legacy that seeps into many religions, including Christendom!

Plato wrote his renowned work titled The Republic in around 400 B.C. In the book he wrote about two chasms in the earth and two chasms in the heaven above. In between these chasms are judges who will bade the just to the right on the journey into heaven above and the unjust to the left to descend into hell below. Those who descend into hell below will suffer tenfold the wrongs done and those who done righteously will in like manner, be rewarded tenfold. Several centuries later, Catholic writers and theologians like Justin Martyr, Tertullian and Augustine incorporated these pagan teachings into Catholic theology. Subsequently, Protestant churches also adopted these ideas when great evangelists and preachers used them with much drama and effect "to frighten unbelievers into accepting Christ as their Savior".

To get to the bottom of this, one has to understand what the Bible means by "hell" as used in Scripture, otherwise the truth seeker will go round in circles with little hope of understanding. Four different words were  translated as to depict "three hell"  in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible and three of the four words used have nothing to do with hell in the common understanding of the word.

The first "hell" is sheol in Hebrew and hades in Greek. The Old Testament was mainly written in Hebrew (with some Aramaic) and the New Testament primarily in Greek. Sheol and hades refer to the resting place of the dead - the grave  - and nothing more. Most people with preconceived idea automatically assume a fiery inferno of everlasting fire, but that was never the original intent of the word in Scripture! Great men of old like king David and king Hezekiah knew full well that their resting place at death is sheol - the grave (Psalm 88:3; Isaiah 38:10). It is not referring to a place of fiery torment as countless billions had assumed.

Another Greek word "tartaroo", used only once is also translated as "hell" in 2 Peter 2:4. Here the Apostle Peter is referring to fallen angels (demons) who were cast down and are now under restraint or imprisonment. Such fallen angelic beings were  and still are confined in chains unto darkness reserved for the day of judgment. This word is used specifically for fallen angels that sinned against the Creator and in no way refer to any fiery inferno reserved for fallen humanity. Many modern translations have left such word untranslated so as not to add to confusion.

The third "hell" is the Greek word Gehenna, which means the 'Valley of Hinnom'  This is a deep valley which lies to the south-west of Jerusalem. Many years ago, my wife and I went on a Bible study tour to Israel and we had passed through the place with no fire burning at all - let alone an inferno! Instead, many ancient tombs dotted the hillsides of the Valley of Hinnom. In ancient past, the valley was the place where idolatrous worship of the Canaanite gods Molech and Baal took place where children were sacrificed by burning them alive in fiery flames under the reign of king Ahaz and king Manasseh (Jeremiah 7:31, 19:4-5, 32:35). At the time of righteous king Josiah, he put an end to such practices. Because of such ill reputation, the place became a city garbage dump during the time of Christ's First advent.

The Lord Jesus used the term Gehenna eleven out of twelve times recorded in New Testament. During the time of Christ, dead animals and even corpses of criminals were thrown into the fire at Gehenna to be burned up as the flames were left burning continuously. Some corpses fell on branches grew out from the side of the valley and left hanging there but never made it to the fire below and were eventually devoured by worms (Mark 9:43-48)!

The audience listening to Jesus knew full well what the Lord was referring to - a place where everything dumped into went up in smoke - including human corpses. He used this illustration to point to the fact that those who refused to repent will eventually end up in the lake of fire - where they will be burned up (Matthew 5:22, 29-30, 23:15,33; Luke 12:5) - known as the second death (Revelation 20:6) with no possibility of resurrection!

All the unrepentant wicked who end up in the lake of fire will be annihilated as ashes and stubble under the feet of the righteous who will inherit and walk the earth (Malachi 4:1-3) - restored by Christ and His resurrected saints and refined by fire. That is why when the thief requested the Lord Jesus Christ to remember him when He returns to restore the kingdom of God on earth, Christ told him that he will be with Him in paradise (Luke 23:42-43) - when earth will be restored, including cleansing by fire as it was at the Garden of Eden before the Fall of humanity!

Some theologians and preachers believe that after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all has changed. They would normally quote Ephesians 4:8-10, Wherefore he saith. When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. (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, that he might fill all things). The Roman Church use this to justify the doctrine of purgatory.

But the true meaning of  'captivity captive' is that sinners who were slaves to sin were converted to servants of righteousness. The following two verses in 9 to 10 refers to Jesus Christ in His pre-incarnate state (Jesus Christ in His pre-incarnate state was known as the WORD - John 1:1 and also the God of the Old Testament - John 8:24, 28, 58; 1 Cor 10:4), went to the abyss to  preach to fallen angels before the time of the Flood in the days of Noah (1 Peter 3:19-20). Christ having overcome all evil and temptations in the flesh was eminently qualified to return to heaven to receive the kingdom of God from the Heavenly Father and will return at His Second Coming to rule and reign over all things on earth - the gist of the Gospel message that few understood even in Christendom to this very day!

GOD'S MASTER PLAN OF SALVATION FOR MANKIND

Most Christians think that God is trying to save the whole of humanity in this time and age. If that being the case, Satan certainly has the upper hand as most of the world's population has yet to obtain salvation let alone understand the truth of what life and death is all about and why we are place here on planet earth!

But an all wise and powerful God can make no mistake when  the salvation of mankind is concern. He will not leave such important matter to man to determine the eternal destiny of precious billions of souls who had walked the earth! He has worked out His Master Plan of salvation for all human beings who had ever lived. This Master Plan is all detailed in the seven annual Sabbaths and Festivals recorded for us in Leviticus chapter 23.

Traditional Christianity mistook that the observance of these laws and Holy Days are just part of Jewish customs and traditions and simply ignore them. Some even assume that observing such laws and celebration is nothing more than "Judaizing " and going back to Old Testament laws and commandments which were "nailed to the cross". The truth is man's dogma has been nailed to the cross, not God's laws and commandments as these are eternal and unchangeable. Those customs and practices not required are specifically mentioned such as slaughtering of animal sacrifices and circumcision.

Passover - Jesus Christ is our "Passover Lamb" - 1 Corinthians 5:7. He died for our sin so that we can have forgiveness from God through the shed blood and death of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Only when one has his/her sins forgiven can one be born again into the kingdom of God.

The Days of Unleavened Bread - The seven-day of festival is to celebrate the removal of the 'leaven' of pride, vanity and the way of sin from the life of a true follower of Christ - 1 Corinthians 5:8. There has to be genuine change through repentance of our sins and not follow the ways of the world with values propagated from the kingdom of darkness - Ephesians 2:2.

Those who understand that to inherit the coming kingdom of God, one has to live according to the laws governing the kingdom - the give way of life instead of this world's value system of the get way of life. It is the way of give, give, give and forgives instead of get, get, get and then forgets!

The Feast of Firstfruits - This is also known as Pentecost, the day when Jesus Christ started His church in A.D. 31. On that day, God gave His Holy Spirit to all whom He has called and obeyed (Acts 5:32), effectively endowing them with power and authority from on high to do the works of God. They are commanded to come out of this world Babylonian's false religious system (Revelation 18:4) and the pagan ways of this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) to be members of the true church of God (Colossians 1:18).

A true believer is one who has the Holy Spirit actively at work in Him to develop the righteous character, correct understanding of the truth  and not be adulterated by false doctrine (Revelation 14: 4 - they are 'spiritual virgins').

Such spirit-begotten sons and daughters (the firstfruits) will be raised immortal at the first resurrection as kings and priests (teachers) when Jesus Christ returns (Revelation 5:10) to assist King Jesus in helping the rest of humanity to realize their incredible and awesome potential!

The Feast of Trumpets - This is a picture of the time when Jesus Christ will return as the King of kings and Lord of lords to establish the kingdom of God over all the earth (Psalms 67:4; Daniel 7:14, 18, 22, 27; Revelation: 2:26-27, 5:10, 11:15, 19:16). For every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

Together with His resurrected saints, they will execute judgment on all ungodly deeds and words done and spoken against Him - Jude 14-15. These saints and potential immortal spirit beings are now being tested and tried - for judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). The Apostle Paul exhorts that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God - Acts 14:22.

The Day of Atonement - Satan has been the architect of all sins and wickedness in the high places throughout the history of mankind. On this Day, all the collective sin of mankind will be placed on this originator of sin and cast into the bottomless pit. Finally, man will be at one with his maker and be ruled under the peaceful dominion of God's supergovernment.

The Feast of Tabernacles - This feast celebrates the coming 1,000 year Reign of Christ on earth. It is indeed the wonderful world to come (Hebrews 2:5) and a world without end (Ephesians 3:21) with lasting peace, prosperity and progress when Satan and his demons were incarcerated. The world will be restored to paradise as it was first meant to be at the Garden of Eden.

The Last Great Day - God will bring back to life all human beings who had died, no matter what their age, circumstances and religious affiliation when they died (Ezekiel 37:1-14; Revelation 20:12-13; Isaiah 65:17-25). All mankind then will experience one hundred years of living experience (Isaiah 65:20) without Satan and his demons to learn Godly character and reject the carnal nature in order to submit to God's will and  government. Billions who will be called later will have the opportunity to qualify to inherit the kingdom of God as immortal spirit beings. Those who are called now will assist the rest of humanity in the process of learning and growing (Micah 4:5) - they have their work cut out for them!

Billions of people who have died but had never made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as Savior are not burning in hell-fire. The wages of sin is death, not eternal life in hell! All who are dead stays dead, for the soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18: 4 & 20). The next second of their consciousness is when they are resurrected to life - regardless of how long they had been dead - even if they had been dead for thousands of years! For there shall be a resurrection both of the just (saved) and unjust (unsaved) - Acts 24:15.

Regardless of whether they are saved or not, ALL will hear His (Jesus) voice from the grave - John 5:28. The only difference is that all who are called before the end of the church age will be in the first resurrection and the rest of humanity in the second resurrection (Revelation 20:4-5). The first resurrection (a better resurrection - Hebrews 11: 35) will occur when Christ returns to establish His Reign on earth for a thousand years and the second resurrection will occur towards the end of the millennial age.

No one is burning eternally in hell. But a time will come (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3:17) when all who have been shown the truth refused to abide by the ways of God the Father and Jesus Christ will be burned up in the 'lake of fire' and end up as stubble and ashes as if they have never been (Malachi 4:1-3). There is no possibility of resurrection as the soul is destroyed in total annihilation known as the 'second death' (Revelation 20:6). A merciful God will put them out of misery for good! Man can kill the body but only the Almighty God has the power to destroy the soul of man (Matthew 10:28).

The patriarch Job knew full well that in death there is no knowledge of the passage of time and indeed knows nothing (Psalm 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:5) when he said - all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come (Job 14:14) - change into immortal spirit being when born again at the first resurrection. King David also understood when he penned Psalm 17:15 - As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake (from the grave), with thy (Jesus) likeness - ( see 1 John 3:2). The Archangel Michael told prophet Daniel that 'for thou shall rest (sleep peacefully in the grave), and stand in thy lot at the end of the days (when Jesus Christ returns as the King of kings and Lord of lords to reign on earth) - Daniel 12:13.

THE GOSPEL OF PEACE

This world is embroiled in constant warfare and conflict since the dawn of civilization. Mankind is disobedient to God's law and His way of government. Whether man's form of government is democracy, monarchy or communism - they are doomed for conflict and are in constant preparation for war, in a state of war or recovering from war. How true this is throughout the history of mankind, when preachers and truce sayers that there will be 'peace, peace, when there is no peace' - Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11,15; Ezekiel 13:10. The increasing number of anti-government and anti-establishment protests worldwide bear testimony to such truth.

The Lord Jesus Christ came almost two millennia ago to announce the gospel of the kingdom of God to mankind (also known as the kingdom of heaven - NOT kingdom in heaven). This good news is brought by the Son of God commissioned by the Heavenly Father in heaven, as shared by Jesus Christ to His chosen disciples on many occasions including some of His parables.

The Apostle Paul also mentioned it as the gospel of peace (Romans 10:15; Ephesians 6:15) which is the same gospel as the kingdom of God and NOT another gospel - otherwise he would be pronouncing a curse upon himself (Galatians 1:8-9). He taught that it was God who entrusted the Apostles with the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Jesus Christ is the only One who is authorized by God the Father to define what is the gospel - the gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 24:14) and not any other gospel defined by organized religion or any church other than the true church of God that Jesus founded (Matthew 16:18)!

In two of his epistles, Paul states, 'How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things' - Romans 10:15. 'And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace' - Ephesians 6:15. Since the Bible must interpret the Bible, we found similarities in Isaiah 52:7, 'How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bring good tidings, that published peace; that bring good tiding of good, that published salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reign!'  What all these mean is that only God is able to bring true and lasting peace on earth when Jesus Christ is reigning on His throne; and the rewards of His true disciples will reign together with Him - Daniel 7:14, 18, 22, 27; Revelations 2:26-27; 3:21; 11:15.

True believers walk through life having their feet covered with the knowledge of how the true gospel spells the only way to final world peace. They know what lies ahead for this world. God's plan to shake world events moves on His timetable. Sadly, few have the faith to believe that only God has the power and authority to bring about true and lasting world peace (Isaiah 53:1; Romans 10:16) and not through any human government!

Most organized religion believe that the Person of Jesus Christ is the gospel. Although Jesus' role is of paramount importance, He is not the gospel (John 7:16-18; 12:49-50)! Jesus Christ is the only way to the gospel and that He has to be preached in conjunction with the gospel - Acts 8:12; 28:31. Preaching the true gospel will encompass Jesus Christ but making Him as the gospel will ignore the gospel of the kingdom of God. It is like saying that all Jews (of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) are Israelites but not all Israelites are Jews.

The good news is that God in His eternal wisdom and Plan had chosen men, and not the angels, to govern with Jesus Christ in the world to come! - Hebrews 2:5. This makes the angelic hosts curious to find out what is hidden in the mystery of the gospel of the kingdom of God - 1 Peter 1:12. Born again true believers will be given the reward to rule and reign as kings and priests with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ  in the kingdom of God on earth - not in heaven ! - Revelation 5:10. Under the reign of Jesus Christ and His saints, world peace, harmony, prosperity and healing of all sicknesses and diseases will take place.

Christ, together with the born again saints of spirit composed beings endowed with power and authority, will bring all these about to make earth a paradise - restitution of all things that had been lost to Satan and his demons (Acts 3:19-21). All of mankind who had ever lived but were not called in the earlier ages will be resurrected (Acts 24:15) as reconstituted human beings (Ezekiel 37) towards the end of the millennium age to be taught the truth of God (Isaiah 65:17-25). Under the government of God, 'at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father' - Philippians 2:10-11.

When Jesus was crucified on the cross, one of the condemned men told Jesus to remember him when He come into His kingdom (meaning when He returned to reign in the kingdom of God). To which Jesus replied that he shall be with Him (Jesus) in paradise - towards the end of the millennial age with the restitution of all things completed and Satan incarcerated (Revelation 20:1-3) to turn earth into a paradise (Luke 23:42-43)!

When the whole world is being governed under the kingdom of God, there will be no need for ministry of defence, military academy or any army, navy or airforce as universal peace will prevail throughout the earth. All military assets will be converted to productive use for the benefit of everyone on earth - Isaiah 2:4; Psalm 119:165. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea - Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14.

THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS

The common belief of Christendom is that Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday, commonly known and celebrated worldwide as the 'Good Friday' and resurrected on 'Easter Sunday', justifying the Sunday worship as the 'Lord's Day' or the 'Sabbath Day'. But is this what the Lord Jesus and His Apostles taught and written down in the Holy Bible? The truth is that what is being preached and practised worldwide is of pagan origin - primarily initiated by the Roman Emperor Constantine during the fourth century A.D.

Jesus foretold of His death and resurrection and that He will be in the tomb three days and three nights as a sign that He was the Messiah (Jonah 1:17; Matt 12:40). But the Good Friday-Easter Sunday story simply does not add up to three days and three nights. It is more like one day (Saturday) and two nights (Friday's and Saturday's). Sadly, most would prefer to believe deceived men rather than the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ!

After Jesus died, His body was quickly placed in a tomb before sunset as the Sabbath begins from sunset on the day He died (biblical counting of a day). However, that was an annual Sabbath day and not the usual weekly Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, for it was a high day - John 19:31. The high day or high Sabbath falls on a Thursday, which was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread for that year in 31 A.D., which immediately follows the Passover (see Leviticus 23:5-7). The Passover was a preparation day for the annual Feast, which lasted for seven days.

Unlike the weekly Sabbath which occurs from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, the annual Sabbath day can fall on any day of the week. Jesus was crucified and died on the Passover day, which falls on a Wednesday, as prophesied that 'the Messiah be cut-off in the midst of the week' - Daniel 9:26-27.

According to Jewish calendar, Jesus was crucified and died on Wednesdy, 25 April  A.D. 31. Let's do the math - Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset is one day and one night, adding Thursday sunset to Friday sunset makes two days and two nights, then adding Friday sunset to Saturday sunset makes three days and three nights. This was precisely what the Lord Jesus foretold as a sign that He was the Saviour of the world - nothing more and nothing less.

When Mary Magdalene went to the tomb on the first day of the week (Sunday) before the break of dawn ('when it was yet dark' ), the Lord Jesus Christ had already risen! - John 20:1. Many were mistaken into believing that Jesus rose on Sunday, the first day of the week based on a wrong understanding of Mark 16:9. It simply states that early on the first day of the week when Mary Magdalene went to the grave, Jesus had already risen - not to mean that He rose on Sunday. Anything other than what He said and recorded in Scriptures is a denial of Christ and of the truth!

So how did the Good Friday-Easter Sunday tradition comes about since it does not fit into Scriptures ? (Note: Acts 12:4 - the Greek word pascha should be translated as Passover as in all other cases). The answer can be found in 325 A.D. during the Council of Nicaea. Only the Christian Passover - not Good Friday, Easter Sunday tradition - was celebrated by Jesus, His disciples and the early church and is also relevant for the church today!

Constantine held an assembly of some 250 bishops in Nicaea ( near Istanbul in northerwestern Turkey) in the year 325 A.D., known as the Council of Nicaea. Under the dominance of Constantine and people of similar persuasion, the Council replaced many Biblical truth with man-made doctrines and practises, including changing the times and laws of God as prophesied in Daniel 7:25. The Good Friday-Easter Sunday tradition was just one of many Biblical truths being replaced! The dispute over the Christian Passover is known in history as the Paschal Controversy.

The Roman Emperor drew his sword to quench any dissent from adopting the teachings and practices of the universal church - the church of Rome. Those who opposed were martyred and the true church of God had to flee from 325 A.D. until 1585 A.D. when England was free from Catholic dominance after winning the war over Spain who had attempted to militarily impose the Catholic faith on England.

Interestingly, this period of 1,260 years fits in with the prophecy in Revelation 12:1-6 when the true church (represented by a woman) had to flee persecution for 1,260 years (one day represents one year in Biblical prophecy - Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6).

Jesus ate the Passover feast with His disciples shortly before His crucifixion. He also prophesied that He will eat the Passover feast with them when He returned (Second Coming) to establish His kingdom on earth (Luke 22:15-16). Certainly, no where in Scriptures did the Lord Jesus or any of His disciples mentioned or celebrated the pagan Good Friday-Easter Sunday tradition as practised by most organised religion the world over.

True believers of Christ are commanded to worship God in spirit and in truth - John 4:23-24. Only the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32) from wrong ideas and practices which are snares to entrap the unwary and gullible into evil. Any worship of the teachings and traditions of man is worshipping God in vain - Mark 7:7-9.
 

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Most Christians believe that the Gospel of the Bible is about the Person of Jesus Christ. However, the Bible records that the Gospel (meaning 'good news') of Jesus Christ is the message that He came to preach. Christ was sent by God the Father as a Prophet (Deut 18:15) and the Messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1) to proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14; Matt 4:23; Luke 8:1,4:43). Jesus Christ categorically states that He came from the Father with a message and it is not about Himself - John 7:16-18.

All who are called to be His disciples are commanded to hear Him - the Gospel message of Christ which is the kingdom of God (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). One has to believe this same Gospel to be saved!

Christ's first commandment, after overcoming the temptations of Satan in the wilderness is 'repent ye, and believe the gospel' - Mark1:15. The Apostle Paul affirmed that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jews first and also to the Greek (meaning all the 'Gentiles') - Romans 1:16.

Some Bible scholars and writers believe that the Gospel of the kingdom of God is meant only for the Jews - this is absolutely false. Those who do not believe the Gospel are not called to be Christ's true disciples and will not be in the first resurrection when He returns (1 Cor 15:23; Hebrews 11:35)!

But what exactly is the 'kingdom of God'? Countless millions are confused. It is not the church, neither is it about the Person of Jesus Christ nor the millennium age. Some believe that it is 'in the heart and in the mind' when one says the 'sinner's prayer' and place his/her trust in Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God is the government of God which Christ was commissioned by God the Father to restore that which was lost to Satan (2 Cor 4:4) because of sin - first of Lucifer and his fallen angels, and then of Adam and his descendants.

The second Adam - Jesus Christ - had to overcome Satan at the wilderness to regain the right to the throne as 'King' of God's coming government on earth! But the Jews mistakenly thought that His first advent then was to restore the kingdom to Israel. They all looked and hoped in vain!

The dreams of prophet Daniel about the coming kingdom of God (Daniel 2:44) and prophet Isaiah's prophecy that 'the government shall be upon his (Jesus Christ) shoulder...the increase of his government...and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever. - Isaiah 9:6-7 - bear testament to this fact. The prophet Jeremiah had also recorded a similar prophecy - Jeremaih 23:5-6. This is corroborated by what the Archangel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary, He (Jesus Christ) shall be great...and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David... and of his kingdom there shall be no end - Luke 1:32-33.

The confusion arises partly from the mistranslation of Luke 17:21- the kingdom of God is within you. A more appropriate translation should be 'in the midst of you' - as given on the margin in the NKJV. In that context, Jesus Christ was speaking to the Pharisees telling them that the kingdom of God cannot be seen with human eyes, so it is pointless looking around to find the kingdom of God.

It is a spiritual kingdom that can only be seen and enter (inherit) when one is 'born again' as an immortal spirit being upon resurrection when He returns (John 3:3, 5-6; 1 Cor 15:50). Christ was making the point that He is the Divine Representative of the coming kingdom of God. No way was Jesus Christ telling the Pharisees that the kingdom of God was within them when He strongly condemned their hypocrisy with strong words (Matt 23:16-33)!

Jesus Christ preached the Gospel wherever He went, often accompanied with healing and casting of demons - Matt 10:7; Mk 1:38. In addition, he sent out His twelve and later seventy disciples to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2; 10:1,9). The Apostle Paul preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God - Acts 19:8, 20:25, 28:31; and so did Peter (Acts 3:19-24) and Philip (Acts 8:12). In fact, Paul and Philip differentiated the Gospel of the kingdom of God from the Person of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12, 28:31).

Does that mean the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind is redunctant? By no means - Jesus Christ's role is very important as He is the way to the kingdom and He is to be preached in conjuction with the Gospel as shown in Acts 8:12 and 28:31.

Christ commanded His true disciples to 'seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness' - Matt 6:33 - and the first item on the Lord's prayer is to pray for 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven' - Matt 6:10; Luke 11:2. In this time and age, God's government is ruling from His throne in heaven. God's Plan is to restore it on earth starting with the Millennial Age when Christ returns to restore His kingdom (Rev 11:15) when all human government will be forcefully evicted to make way for Christ and His resurrected saints - Rev 2:26, 3:21, 5:10; Daniel 7:13-14, 18,22,27.

Almost all the parables of Jesus Christ is about the kingdom of God. He even warned His disciples not to be deceived by preachers who will come to preach about the Person of Jesus Christ and ignoring His message - saying 'I am Christ' - Matt 24:5. Such blantant disobedient to the commandment of Christ is so serious that Paul warned of a 'double curse' on anyone who preached a different Gospel - Gal 1:8-9!

There are four element for a kingdom - land (which is planet earth - Matt 5:5), King (the Lord Jesus Christ - Zech 14:9), laws (the righteousness law and commandments of God - Isaiah 11:9, Habakkuk 2:14, including those taught by Jesus Christ at the sermon on the mount - Matt chapters 5-7) and people (all human beings who survived the Great Tribulation - Zech 14:16).

It is God's divine Plan for those whom He called to enter and inherit the kingdom of God - 1 Thess 2:12; Hebrews 2:9-13. However, they need to bear fruits of the Spirit, the righteous character of Christ-likeness in this mortal life before they qualify - Gal 5:22-26. Only a small group are now called (John 6:44) and lesser still will qualify (firstfruits) -  Matt 20:16, 22:14; Luke 12:32; James 1:18 - with the rest of mankind who had ever lived called towards the end of the millennial age - Isaiah 65:20. When there are firstfruits, there will be subsequent ones to follow. Those who refused to conform will not inherit the kingdom of God - 1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5.

In fact, the Gospel was preached to the people of the Old Testament (Heb 4:2) and by almost all the Old Testament prophets (Acts 3:24). The same Gospel was also preached to Abraham (Gal 3:8) - probably by Melchizedek. Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, is the seventh preacher of righteousness (the coming kingdom)  for the period between Adam and the Flood (Jude 14). Noah was the eighth preacher of the one and only Gospel - 2 Pet 2:5. So the Gospel of the kingdom was consistently preached by all true servants of the Almighty God - both in the era of the Old Testament and in the New!

The Gospel is a mystery as it involved the salvation of all mankind (starting with the church as the firstfruits), God's divine family (for those born again) and much more - according to the Plan of God as spelt out in His Holy Days (see Leviticus chapter 23). Jesus Christ told His true disciples that He spoke in parables so that only those who are called will understand its mysteries, all the rest will not! - Matt 13:11; Luke 8:10. It is a mystery of the Gospel which things the angels desire to look into - 1 Peter 1:12. If the Gospel is only about the Person of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection, all these would be plain milk doctrine and the preceding verses would make no sense as there is 'no mystery'!

The true Gospel had not been preached for some nineteen centuries since the first century AD when there was a conspiracy to suppress it because the powers that be then were fearful of a higher power and authority that the people will hold allegiance to. They substituted the Gospel with the Person of Jesus Christ instead! In fact, Jesus Christ was crucified because the spiritual leaders then were afraid that their power and authority will be lost because of the Gospel that the Lord preached. Worse, they could be accused of treason and even lost their lives as they were subservient to the Roman authorities.

 The Lord Jesus Christ prophesied that this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come - Matt 24:14. Since we are all living in the last days, it is high time that the true Gospel be preached to fulfill of the Great Commission. Had it been preached in the preceding centuries, Christ would have returned to restore His kingdom.

The issue simply is this - do we really love God and His truth enough (2 Thess 2:10) to lay hold of His promises. Sadly, as it was in the days of the prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Paul, so it is today when one can resonate their cry to God  - 'Who hath believed our report?' - Isaiah 53:1; Romans 10:16. Satan, the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2), had deceived the whole world (Rev 12:9). For those who had overcome the odds to believe the real truth, the promise from God is incredible - But as it is written, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him' - 1 Cor 2:9.

The Millennial Age of a thousand years will be a time for 'restitution of all things' (Acts 3:21) that had been lost due to the rule of Satan and his demons. God's Plan probably extend beyond planet earth to include the whole universe and hence 'Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end' - Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:33.