The Last Great Day

 Is this the ONLY day of salvation? The overwhelming majority of ministers, priests and “mainstream” Christians would resoundingly answer “YES.”
     But these same people utterly fail to realize the depth, breadth and width of the massive DECEPTION Satan the Devil has perpetrated on a confused humanity. As we have seen, the Bible clearly says that Satan “deceives the WHOLE WORLD” (Revelation 12:9). Again, Satan is the “god” of this present age (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). People generally follow Satan’s ways—not God’s.
     The Last Great Day pictures the amazing truth that God is NOT TRYING to save the world now! If the great GOD who made the universe were actually “trying” to save humanity, He would succeed. The BILLIONS of people in Asia, Africa and elsewhere would all become good Christians in short order! Yet the fact is that the OVERWHELMING majority of people throughout human history have NEVER subscribed to—or even been exposed to—any form of Christianity. And so it remains until this very day!
     What is the REAL answer to this dilemma?
     First of all, the Son of God stated plainly: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber…. Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep’” (John 10:1, 7). And He inspired the Apostle Peter to declare about Himself: “This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11–12). So you either accept Christ—the TRUE Christ of the Bible—or you do not. And if you truly accept Christ as your Savior AND your Lord, you will surrender to Him and let Him rule your life. As Christ commanded, you will keep the Ten Commandments as a way of life (Matthew 19:17) You will let Christ live His Obedient life in you through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20). And if you do not, you are NOT a Christian and you yourself may be BLINDED. It is just that simple.
     The overwhelming majority of mankind has been BLINDED to the knowledge of the true God and the true Christ. And yet again, God’s inspired Word tells us, “For there is NO RESPECT of persons with God” (Romans 2:11, KJV). And the Apostle Peter stated, when God began to call a few Gentiles to repentance, “Of a truth I perceive that God is NO RESPECTER of persons” (Acts 10:34, KJV).
     Is God contradicting Himself? Of course not! For God has NEVER said that He is trying save everyone “now”! God has said, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). It is God’s will that ALL “come to repentance”—but they certainly HAVE NOT done so in this age! Notice also how the Apostle Paul speaks of “God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3–4).
     It is simply a matter of TIMING.
     For in God’s time—as we shall see—all humans who have EVER lived will be given a real understanding of God’s Master Plan and Purpose, and the vast majority will ACCEPT God’s Truth once their eyes are fully opened. No, it is NOT a “second chance” as some would like to protest. It will be the first genuine opportunity for these people to come to understand the true God and the true Jesus Christ and Their great PURPOSE!
     The Bible speaks time and again about a time of “judgment” for ALL humanity. And as used, the term “judgment” does NOT usually mean condemnation but, rather, a time of decision—a time of trial and testing (cf. 1 Peter 4:17). Notice Jesus Christ’s own statements to those cities of His own day who REJECTED Him and His teaching: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the DAY OF JUDGMENT than for you” (Matthew 11:21–22).
     The pagan cities who NEVER HEARD of Christ will have a “more tolerable” opportunity in the coming day of judgment. Notice how even the city of Sodom was included in this category: “But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you” (v. 24).
     If God judges these people by the same standard as others—which the Bible clearly indicates that He will—then the ancient pagans would have NO CHANCE for eternal life because they clearly did NOT accept Christ as their Savior or obey God’s ways. Again, the ONLY answer is that they will—in a coming judgment period—be given the opportunity to really understand God’s great PURPOSE, to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and then—at that time—to be “judged” by how they respond based on this genuine FIRST OPPORTUNITY for salvation.
     But does the Bible indicate that such a time is coming?
     Yes, it does! For in Revelation 20, after describing the Millennium and the short period after the Millennium, when Satan is released for a “little while” (v. 3), God goes on to describe a time of “judgment” for the dead people who died before the Millennium began and had never been converted. After describing a great “white throne,” notice what the Apostle John wrote under inspiration: “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works” (vv. 12–13).
     When these dead people are seen “standing,” this involves a resurrection! And notice that verse 12 also says that the “books” were opened. The Greek word biblia, from which the word “Bible” is normally translated, is used here. So these people—for the first time—have their minds and hearts opened to the Bible. They also have opportunity to obtain salvation—to have their names written in the “Book of Life.” In this “Great White Throne Judgment Period,” they are truly being “called.” Satan is once again banished. Their minds are now opened to real understanding. In this judgment period, even the inhabitants of Sodom and hundreds of other pagan or deceived cities of the past, may have a better opportunity than some who lived at the time of Christ. For these ancient pagans never before understood virtually ANYTHING about the true God or His ways. They were NOT responsible for being “blinded”!
     Countless millions of these men and women of past ages may zealously grasp on to the Truth when they fully understand. They may become better Christians—better servants of God—than many of us who sometimes take God’s precious Truth for granted and are not as zealous as we should be.
     How clear!
     God will resurrect the countless millions who lived and died long before Christ came and brought the full understanding of salvation. Additional BILLIONS who have lived and died since Jesus Christ, or who now live but are BLINDED to the knowledge of the true God and His purpose—all these will be brought to REAL understanding and repentance! They will be given God’s Holy Spirit—the very nature and character of GOD that will be imparted to them after real repentance and baptism—just as it is to us today. Then they, too, will have an opportunity for some years to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
     They will have an opportunity for full salvation—eternal life in the very Kingdom and Family of GOD. It is only a matter that the TIME of their “calling” is later than many of ours—but it is SURE to come!
     Then, finally, every single human being who has EVER drawn breath will have had a genuine opportunity for salvation! And so the SEVENTH of God’s Holy Days, the mysterious “eighth day” coming immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles—but as a separate Festival (Leviticus 23:36)—pictures this wonderful time soon after the Millennium when ALL humanity will finally be given an opportunity to understand the Truth.
     This is obviously the time Jesus was referring to in John 7: “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (vv. 37–38). For in the Great White Throne Judgment “anyone”—EVERYONE who has every lived—will finally have his or her eyes opened and be given the opportunity to respond to God and to receive His Holy Spirit.
     With this seventh God-commanded Festival, the picture of God’s Plan is now COMPLETE. In realizing the marvelous wisdom and mercy of God in all of His Plan, we may truly say with the Apostle Paul in Romans 11:32–33: “For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”