How can a loving God allow the suffering we see around us every day? According to common Christian teaching, the ultimate end of all this suffering is for people to die and arrive in either a place called heaven or a place of eternal torment called hell. It is thought that most end up in hell. How could God condemn the majority of mankind who aren't Christians to everlasting punishment in hell?

Many have agonized over a relative or friend who died an agnostic. Is that person forever damned to indescribable torment? What about children who die from malnutrition, war and disease in remote areas of the world where they've never even heard of Jesus Christ? Are they forever trapped in Satanic inflicted torture?

One of the most quoted verses in the Bible is John 3:16, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." But isn't God being unfair to untold billions of people who never heard of Jesus Christ? Yet, the Bible claims that "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

In the Middle Ages Christian zeal to save lost souls launched the Crusades and the use of torture and killing in order to force Muslims and Jews to accept Jesus. Over the centuries, missionaries suffered and died to bring the message of Christ to primitive tribes. But the harsh reality is that in spite of all efforts, the majority of mankind is non-Christian.

The question remains: What about the billions of people who throughout history have never heard of Jesus Christ? Couldn't Jesus miraculously appear to people in China, Japan and Africa and convert hundreds of millions? If God and Satan are in a war over the souls of men it seems God is losing.

The Biblical Reward of the Saved

This begs another question: What is the reward of the true followers of Jesus Christ? The most common teaching is that the saved go to heaven upon death. But this isn't what Jesus taught. He proclaimed, as recorded in John 6:40: "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

Wait a minute! Jesus Christ says that the reward of His followers is a resurrection from the dead "at the last day," not going to heaven immediately after death.

The apostle John was inspired to write about this resurrection in Revelation 20:1-6: "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

"And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

"Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years."

Notice that the Bible reveals a resurrection of the saints at the return of Christ to the earth. The apostle John clearly calls this the first resurrection. The rest of the dead are not resurrected until the end of Christ's one thousand year reign on earth.

Paul warns Christians to take their great calling seriously so as not to jeopardize the grace God offers. He writes in 2 Corinthians 5:9-11: "Therefore, we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good and bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men..."

If the resurrection of the saints is called the first resurrection, what is the second resurrection?

The Hope for Mankind

John reveals in Revelation that the Father will send Jesus Christ back to this earth to establish His Kingdom and reign for a thousand years. After the thousand years there will be a second resurrection called the Great White Throne Judgment.

Let's return to Revelation 20:11. "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 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 Bible clearly reveals a second resurrection in addition to the resurrection of the saints at Christ's second coming. Unlike the first resurrection, those in the second resurrection are restored to physical life.

The prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of a valley filled with dry bones in Ezekiel 37. God tells Ezekiel that these bones will come together, be covered with flesh and come back to life. The purpose is so that these people may know the real God (verse 13). God says to those whom He resurrects, "I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live..." (verse 14).

Revelation 20:12 states the "books were opened" followed by the opening of the "Book of Life." The first "books" are the Scriptures, God's Holy Bible, the instruction book for mankind. God will reveal Himself to all peoples who never knew Him.

Here is an incredible truth that most Christians don't understand! Paul teaches that where there is no knowledge of sin, there is no "imputing" or putting to one's account (Romans 5:12-15). Although each person suffers the immediate consequences of sin, including physical death, God is not yet passing eternal judgment on the majority of mankind! All who ever lived without a chance of salvation will be resurrected and given an opportunity to choose the real God. This is the second resurrection.

Jesus warned religious leaders of His day that they would be resurrected along with those God destroyed in Sodom (Matthew 11:20-24). He told the Pharisees that the people of Ninevah from Jonah's time and the queen of the South from the time of Solomon "will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it" (Matthew 12:38-42). These people will be resurrected together at the second resurrection.

This doesn't mean that everyone gets a "second chance." Those called by God in this age, who have received the Holy Spirit, are now under judgment. The second resurrection is for all those who never had a chance for salvation in this world dominated by Satan.

God's Judgment

What, then, is to be the final judgment for the incorrigibly wicked? Let's go back and pick up Revelation 20:13-15: "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. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."

This "second death" is complete annihilation of life. This is what Jesus spoke of in Matthew 10:28-31, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

The fact that God punishes the wicked means that there must be personal responsibility in responding to God's grace. A gospel message without a call to repentance and declaration of Christ's coming judgment becomes a message based on an unbiblical assumption that accepting the name of Jesus is all God requires.

The encouraging news is that God doesn't call anyone to fail. True Christianity is a relationship with God as His sons and daughters. Judgment is now upon the house of God, but members of His family have direct access to the Father, the leadership of Jesus Christ, and the power of the indwelling Spirit to insure victory. The only way true followers can lose salvation is to willingly return to the previous unconverted state (Hebrews 12:12-24).

Christians need to be mindful of the grace God offers through His Son. We celebrate the fact that our sins are forgiven and the Holy Spirit is made available so that God's righteousness is developed in us. Christians can take a positive view of the judgment by looking forward to the first resurrection.

Proclaiming the Gospel

Some may ask, "If the majority of mankind is going to receive an opportunity for salvation in the future, then why should the Church work at preaching the gospel to the world now?" The real question should be, if we understand this great message of hope, how can we not preach it with every fiber of our being? Anyone who truly understands the gospel desires to share it with others.

It's easy for Christians to become so involved in daily troubles that we miss the grandeur of God's great plan of salvation that reaches across time to all humanity. Remember Peter's admonishment to the early Church, "But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 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 3:7-9).

Kevin Carter, the photojournalist mentioned earlier, took many snapshots of humanities' evil. He was disturbed by what he said were "vivid memories of killings and corpses and anger and pain...of starving or wounded children, of trigger-happy madmen" (Capture the Moment—The Pulitzer Prize Photographs, 2001, edited by Cyma Rubin and Eric Newton). Kevin Carter was overwhelmed by the suffering he witnessed. He committed suicide at age 33.

There is hope for this sick and dying world. The majority of humanity who never had an opportunity to know the true Creator will have a chance to choose salvation through Christ in the Great White Throne Judgment. This seldom known truth is the great hope for billions of the living and the dead. UN

The subject of this lesson is a fundamental truth of the Bible, but the sad fact is that most people haven’t heard of it—greatly affecting their conception of the nature and character of God.

What is this great truth?It is the fact that everyone who has ever lived since the creation of Adam and Eve will eventually understand the Bible and have the opportunity to repent, change and accept God’s gift of eternal life! That includes people who have died without this badly needed understanding.

How can knowing this truth transform our view of God and His plan for mankind? A minister tells this story:

“I grew up attending a Protestant church so, as a young adult, I assumed I had heard every major Bible subject at least mentioned. I understood about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the gift of God’s grace. I knew the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. I had heard of the second coming of Christ, the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord and ‘the’ resurrection.

“But at age 21, I learned that some things I had been taught about the Bible were not true. Yet even more to my amazement, I heard about ‘the second resurrection’! At first, I thought it couldn’t be true or I would’ve heard of it. But I soon saw the clear proof in the Scriptures. And then I realized that not only is a plan that includes the second resurrection logical, but that any conceivable plan without it is extremely illogical!

“When I think of all my family members and friends who have died without really understanding the Bible, my greatest comfort comes from understanding the reality of the second resurrection!

“For decades now I’ve been in the ministry, regularly teaching the Bible. But the one Bible subject that is still the most exciting to me is the subject of the second resurrection!”

God is all-loving and all-powerful

The Bible says “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16). He has “perfect love” (1 John 4:18). “By this we know love, because He [Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became human] laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16).

God is also “Almighty God” (Genesis 17:1; Revelation 19:15). He is “the Lord God Omnipotent” (Revelation 19:6). For the Creator of the universe “there is nothing too hard” (Jeremiah 32:17), as “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

These scriptures are clear. But consider an apparent dilemma. Most people die without ever learning about the true God and the way to eternal life. If God loves everyone and is trying to save everyone now, does He lack power since certainly not everyone is being reached with the gospel—His revelation to man? If God has the power to do anything He chooses to do, why does He allow some people to die without giving them lifesaving understanding?

Once you understand the second resurrection, you’ll see how God is both all-loving and all-powerful—and that He has an amazing plan to offer salvation to all!

Does God want everyone who has ever lived to learn, repent and receive eternal life?

“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).

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight 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).

God fully desires all people to come to the knowledge of the truth, to come to repentance and to be saved! And His desire is realistic—He has a plan to accomplish this. (See also John 3:16-17; Matthew 18:14; Ezekiel 18:30-32.)

What Bible passage speaks of both a first and second resurrection?

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

“But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.

“This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4-6, emphasis added throughout).

“The first resurrection” is specifically mentioned in verses 5 and 6. In previous lessons in this “Bible Prophecy and You” series, we learned that the first resurrection is the resurrection of the saints (the true followers of Christ) that will take place at Christ’s second coming. The fact that “the second death has no power” over them means there is no possibility of them dying again—they are then made immortal. They will live for the 1,000 years and beyond into eternity.

The word “second” is not used in these verses, but the word “first” implies there will be at least one more resurrection—at least a second one. As The Expositor’s Bible Commentary brings out: “Why does John call this the ‘first’ resurrection? The term prote clearly implies the first in a series of two or more” (Alan Johnson, 1981, notes on Revelation 20:6).

Verse 5 speaks of “the rest of the dead.” That means everyone else who has lived and died since Adam and Eve! This tells us they will “live again,” and it tells us when—after “the thousand years were finished.”

The “rest of the dead” will be resurrected to physical human life so they can learn God’s truth and have the opportunity to live by it, as will be explained later.

The two sentences in verse 5 seem at first to be out of order. But notice that the main subject of verses 4 through 6 is the “first resurrection.” The first sentence in verse 5 is inserted as a parenthetical clarification about those not in the first resurrection. It becomes clear if you put parentheses around that first sentence, as some Bible versions do. For example, the New English Translation says, “(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This [what came before the parentheses and what follows this sentence] is the first resurrection.”

How does the Bible describe the time of judgment when most people who have ever lived will be judged?

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.

“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” (Revelation 20:11-12).

The purpose of resurrecting “the rest of the dead” (verse 5) is so they can experience their time of judgment. Many are aware of a second resurrection, sometimes called the general resurrection, but they typically view it as an immediate sentencing of all non-Christians to final condemnation.

In the Bible, however, judgment does not just mean a final sentencing, and it does not always mean condemnation. It can include an evaluation period—a time to demonstrate whether, on learning God’s truth, a person is willing to act on that truth, turn to God and persist in God’s ways. This takes a period of time.

Consider how Peter said, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God [the Church]” (1 Peter 4:17). Members of God’s Church are being evaluated—judged—now in this lifetime. And in the second resurrection, people who have not yet had such an opportunity will have theirs—their time to learn spiritual knowledge and then be judged over a period of time for how they apply and obey that knowledge.

Because of the wording of verse 11, the time of judgment for those who are raised in the second resurrection is sometimes referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment.

How will God judge those who rise in the second resurrection?

Reread Revelation 20:11-12—quoted in response to the previous question.

God will judge people in the second resurrection by the same standards He has judged people at any other time. Those who are raised in the second resurrection will be “judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books [the books of the Bible that will then be open]” (verse 12; see also Daniel 7:10; Romans 2:12-13). If people at that time believe, repent, obey and receive God’s forgiveness and grace, their names will be written in “the Book of Life”—which means God will give them His gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23; Philippians 4:3).

Is the second resurrection a second chance to be saved?

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

“And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’

“Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’

“Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.” Therefore your sin remains’” (John 9:39-41).

In “times of ignorance,” people’s sins still earn them the death penalty. But Paul said that in some sense God overlooks those sins—He knows these people haven’t yet had an opportunity to know the truth and repent and change. But when a person “knows to do good and does not do it,” God considers him or her fully accountable for the sin (James 4:17).

Some prophecies of the healing of blindness are dual—they include not only healing physical blindness, but also healing spiritual blindness. Therefore, a person’s opportunity for salvation comes when God calls and chooses someone, at which time He opens his or her mind to spiritual understanding. (See also Romans 3:20; Romans 7:7.)

It seems most people, including most who have been a part of mainstream Christian churches, have not truly had God’s calling and therefore do not understand enough to be held fully accountable. The second resurrection period will thus be their first opportunity to be saved. It is not a second chance.

(In another way of looking at opportunities for salvation, God gives us many opportunities by forgiving us of our sins every time we repent—though this is all part of one lifetime opportunity. Of course, we must not take lightly or abuse God’s mercy. A person who continues sinning has a harder and harder time being able to sincerely and deeply repent. If he ever gets to the point where he cannot repent, he has no more opportunity for salvation.)

Where is biblical proof of a future opportunity for those who have died?

“Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” (Matthew 10:15).

“Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: ‘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.

“‘And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades [the grave]; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you’” (Matthew 11:20-24).

“The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:41-42).

Jesus spoke of a future “day of judgment” for humanity. His main point was that ancient Sodom, Gomorrah, Nineveh and Tyre (pagan cities that God caused to be destroyed) were not as guilty as the people who heard Jesus and saw His miracles but still rejected Him. It will be “more tolerable” for the people of Sodom, etc., because they will not have rejected the mighty works and preaching of Jesus Christ Himself.

But consider some secondary lessons from what Jesus said. Those who have died will need to be raised to life so they can be judged in the “day of judgment.” The day of judgment is not synonymous with a time of immediate condemnation for everyone, as that would not be “tolerable” at all for anyone.

Where does the Bible give us a description of the second resurrection?

“The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones . . . [‘“]Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.’”’

“So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

“Also He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’”’ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:1, Ezekiel 37:5-10).

This vision of the valley of dry bones shows people resurrected through their physical bodies being reformed and given new life. Ezekiel 37:11 says “these bones are the whole house of Israel,” but as we saw in Matthew, the second resurrection will include all nations. Ezekiel 37 has dual meaning. It partly is describing the restoration of the nation of Israel under God and the reuniting of the divided kingdom into a single nation of Israel (Ezekiel 37:16-22). But it also shows that someday there will be a literal resurrection of people—to once again be living, breathing human beings.

Will people in this second resurrection have the opportunity to be converted and receive God’s Holy Spirit?

“‘I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,’ says the Lord” (Ezekiel 37:14).

The Holy Spirit is only given to those who repent, are baptized and obey God (Acts 2:38; 5:32).

Again, God is both all-loving and all-powerful

After completing this lesson, we hope you can clearly see how God is both all-loving and all-powerful. God loves all people and longs to see everyone choose to live His way so He can give them eternal life. And He has the unlimited power to make sure every person who has ever lived will be taught the truth and have the opportunity for eternal life. Death does not defeat God. God can raise the dead. Everyone who has not had an opportunity for salvation will receive that opportunity when they rise to physical life in the second resurrection.

Christians who celebrate God’s biblically commanded festivals gain a deeper and fuller understanding of His great plan of salvation. Those who observe the Eighth Day festival just after the Feast of Tabernacles are thrilled to rehearse the wonderful significance of the second resurrection each year (Leviticus 23:36). And God’s anticipation of the enormous expansion of His family surely must be what pleases Him more than anything else! 

Apply Now

Think about a loved one or friend who has died without having full knowledge of God’s truth. What would you most like to say to him or her? If you were given the opportunity to teach him or her in the second resurrection, what would be the first scriptures and biblical truths you would explain? Write down three.

For further explanation, read “The Eighth Day: Eternal Life Offered to All” in our free study guide God’s Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.

What will happen to people who are not Christians after they die? What about those who never even had a chance to hear about Jesus Christ and His message of the Kingdom of God? And what of those who never so much as saw a Bible, much less read one?

One school of thought puts them in an ever-burning hellfire, where they are tortured forever. Is this the case? What would this say about God, allowing people to suffer forever just because they were born into such circumstances through no fault of their own?

These are tough questions that require answers. Thankfully, the Bible reveals the wonderful future awaiting all people who have never been led by God to understand His truth—including those who have never heard of, much less accepted, Jesus Christ as their Master and Savior. He is in fact the only One through whom we can receive salvation (Acts 4:12).

The apostle John in Revelation 20 records his vision of a "great white throne" and a resurrection to life of "the dead, small and great [rich and poor, famous and infamous], standing before God" (Revelation 20:11-12). This passage goes on to say: "And the books were opened . . . And the dead were judged by the things which were written in the books" (Revelation 20:12).

As God the Father is still in heaven at this point in the vision, and since all judgment has been committed to Christ (John 5:22), it is evident that the One on the great white throne here is Christ (see also Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Just what does the future hold for those who will appear before this throne of judgment?

Doomed to an eternity of torture?

While there are various interpretations regarding the last judgment among those who profess Christ, it is widely believed that a judgment day is coming in which most of humanity will meet their Maker, who will be seated on this throne.

However, a common misconception is that on that day God will condemn all unrepentant sinners (meaning most who have ever lived) to ever-burning hellfire—and that everyone who did not accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior in their past lifetime will suffer in torment for all eternity.

Following this argument, we would have to conclude that all non-Christians who died before Christian missionaries reached them are now burning in hell.

It would mean that men, women and children who have professed religions other than the Christian religion, or no religion at all, will be tortured without end. This would include billions of Africans, Asians and others who lived and died without coming to know Christ.  In this scenario, most people who ever lived will suffer eternally in an ever-burning hellfire, while only a few will be saved.

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

To illustrate this view, let's look at what was taught by Jonathan Edwards, a famous 18th-century American preacher. Here is a quote from his famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," preached on July 8, 1741:

"It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery . . . and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all.

"You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance  . . . So that your punishment will indeed be infinite" (emphasis added throughout).

He even started out his sermon by specifically referring to the Old Testament Israelites. Of them he says, "They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell." He further states that God is "very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath."

Who knows how many millions—perhaps billions—of people have gone to their graves quite convinced that their loved ones, or perhaps they themselves, would meet a wrathful God who would condemn them to an eternal hellfire!

An ever-burning hellfire is not biblical

But Jonathan Edwards was wrong. First of all, sinners do not face an angry God the moment they die. They go to their graves with no consciousness in death. Solomon stated this clearly in Ecclesiastes 9: "The dead know nothing . . . There is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going" Ecclesiastes 9: 5, Ecclesiastes 9: 10).

And in Psalm 6:5 we read this statement to God: "For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?"

The dead will wait in their graves, unconscious and unaware, until at some time in the future they rise when Christ commands. In John 5:25, we read, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live."

A second area in which Edwards was wrong was in his acceptance of an eternally burning hellfire. This concept is not biblical. He did not properly consider such scriptures as Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death [not eternal torment in an ever-burning hellfire], but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Malachi 4:3 tells us that the unrepentant wicked "shall be ashes under the soles of your [righteous people's] feet." In other words, the fate of those who ultimately won't repent is to be burned up—totally consumed by fire that leaves only ashes.

Jesus Christ will judge all in mercy

Now let's return to Revelation 20: "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 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. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20: 11-15).

Again, the typical misunderstanding of this passage is that an instant judgment is coming on humanity and that the majority will burn forever and ever in hell. As Edwards put it, "There are but few saved, and . . . the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell."

But a close reading of the Bible gives a completely different picture. For one, we must understand that the initial judgment here is not an instant condemnation but an evaluation period over the new lifetime of those resurrected—just as God's people today are undergoing a time of judgment (see 1 Peter 4:17).

Also, God judges mercifully. Both God the Father and Jesus Christ share the character of having great mercy—the Father giving His Son and Jesus giving His own life that we might be forgiven of sin.

Let's focus on the word "throne" in Revelation 20:11, considering that the throne of Jesus Christ, as with His Father, is a throne of mercy: "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Please note carefully the words here: "throne of grace . . . obtain mercy and find grace." Any time we come humbly before the throne of grace, we come through a merciful High Priest to a merciful Father. And the Bible further shows that the billions of people cut off from God in the past will in the future resurrection actually be given an opportunity to fall on this great mercy, repent and, for their first time, be able to obey God and live by His laws!

Facing an angry God or a merciful God?

When the small and great awaken to find themselves facing Christ's throne, they will not at first realize they are standing before the throne of grace and mercy. They will actually feel hopelessness and doom. They will feel what is described in Ezekiel 37, a passage that parallels Revelation 20. There the prophet Ezekiel describes what the masses of humanity will think when they are resurrected.

In this chapter we see a picture of the destiny of the Israelites completely different from what Edwards preached. In this amazing prophecy, God is shown to be a very merciful God. This passage explains that for these long-dead people there is coming a physical resurrection to future life.

In vision, God places Ezekiel in a vast valley, essentially a massive graveyard: "The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones" (Ezekiel 37:1).

The next verse indicates these bones were from people dead a very long time: "Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry" (Ezekiel 37:2).

God asks the prophet if he thinks these bones will ever live again: "And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?'"

Ezekiel admits he simply doesn't know! "So I answered, 'O Lord God, You know.'"

God plainly prophesies that a resurrection to physical life is about to happen: "Again He said to me, 'Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, "O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.'"'"

A resurrection of the unfaithful

Here is a group of people who had lived all their lives without a saving knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ. However, instead of being condemned to hellfire, let's notice what happens:

"So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

"Also He said to me, 'Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, "Thus says the Lord God: 'Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.'"' So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army" (Ezekiel 37:7-10).

These verses clearly show a resurrection to physical life. Even the breath of life is given to them! Now let's read Ezekiel 37:11: "Then He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, "Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!"'"

These resurrected human beings are referred to as the Israelites. They are depicted in a state of hopelessness and self-condemnation. But read what God says to them: "Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.

"'"I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then [in this future resurrection] you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it," says the Lord'" (Ezekiel 37:12-14).

All of mankind offered repentance

Just imagine: Instead of eternally burning in hellfire, we read here of an enormous number of people who are brought back to physical life! For the very first time, they will come to see Jesus Christ as He really is. Jesus will point them to God the Father. And they will be offered the most precious gift of all, God's Holy Spirit.

In declaring that He will give them the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 37:14), God in effect is saying that they will be repentant over their sins and will be offered the opportunity for salvation! So again, a close reading of this passage yields quite a different picture from what we hear in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

Furthermore, if God is going to save ancient Israel, He will also offer all of mankind salvation as well. We know this because the Word of God says repeatedly that God does not play favorites (Acts 10:34; 1 Peter 1:17). Regarding salvation, all peoples have an equal opportunity. Paul wrote: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).

Those who hold to the view that the majority of humankind is doomed forever simply do not understand the merciful plan of God. They have not clearly understood that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). How can the same God who desires all men to be saved hold you "over the pit of hell," as Edwards' sermon put it?

We also read that God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). In the end the evil works of Satan, the enemy of humanity, will be defeated by the power and mercy of God. Human beings will come to understand the depth of the mercies of the Father and Jesus Christ as they at last learn God's truth, repent and choose to obey Him.

This will be the first opportunity for salvation for all those who had never, in their lifetimes in this age, even heard the name of Jesus Christ—the only name, as mentioned earlier, through which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).

Men and women who had lived in the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be offered their first opportunity to repent and accept Christ (Matthew 10:15). The inhabitants of the ancient pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon will see and learn about Jesus Christ for the very first time too (Matthew 11:22). These puzzling passages become clear when we finally understand the timing of God's great plan.

Where do you stand?

Do you consider yourself even a beginning reader of the Bible? Do you know enough to realize that God is a merciful God, yet One who will require us to "give account" to Him? (See Romans 14:12.) If so, then now may be your day of salvation. Now may be the "acceptable time" (2 Corinthians 6:2) for you to learn about God and commit your life to Him!

God may be calling you to a closer relationship with Him than you have ever had in your life! God may be calling you now to repentance of past sins and acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Perhaps God is speaking to you the same words He spoke through Peter: "Be saved from this perverse generation" (Acts 2:40).

A time is coming when all people, regardless of race, religion or gender, will stand before Jesus Christ and have the choice to follow His righteous rule. Jesus will extend His loving hand to them and offer them repentance—a true change of heart and life to living by His every word.

But for those of us alive today whose minds God is opening to His biblical truths, there is no better time than right now to repent of our past ways of life and start following His ways. Now is the time to repent and call on Him through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!