The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Abram was a pagan worshipper of the moon goddess until the LORD called him to trust in Him. In time, the LORD changed Abram’s name to Abraham and from him the Jewish people descended. Israel has always been loved by the LORD. Israel’s sin, however, caused her to be widely scattered among the nations of the world. The LORD’s promise that Israel would return to the land He had given her (Ezk. 37:12) was fulfilled in A.D. 1948, when David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, delivered Israel’s Declaration of Independence. It would seem wise, therefore, that all freedom-loving nations should side with Israel and with the LORD.

The Battle of Gog and Magog

Revelation 20:7-10, “And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Satan does not surrender easily. After being bound for a thousand years, Satan is released for a short time, whereupon he again deceives the nations, gathering them into an army that will attack the land of Israel. Gog and Magog figure closely in this attack. Their identity is best described as that of Russia, the leader of an anti-semitic coalition bent upon Israel’s total annihilation. It is easy to see, therefore, that nations wishing to survive should align with Israel. Dr. John F. Walvoord notes, “Politically the rapid events of the end time form a background to this war. In the end time ten nations will band together under a Roman ruler to form a revived Roman Empire” (Walvoord, Major Bible Prophecies, 329).

The Norwegians are very savvy about world events. Talk of this 10-nation coalition was very much in the news when I was there in 1970s. At that time, Norway was highly suspicious of the United Nations because she did not wish to be positioned against Israel. I understood that, but I understand it even better as time has moved forward. We must always be supportive of Israel. Israel is not without flaws, but as prophecy notes, she is loved by the LORD and He will ultimately fight for her and win.

Ezekiel 38-39

“According to Ezekiel 38-39, Israel will be attacked by a coalition of six nations who will attack Israel from the north at a time when Israel is at peace. These are described as ‘Gog and Magog,’ Gog referring to the ruler and Magog referring to the people. As Ezekiel records, the battle will be a disaster. The entire invading force will be wiped out, and months are needed to restore order and to bury dead bodies…. The history of the race has tested humankind under every poissible circumstance, and in each of these circumstances it has failed, demonstrating beyond any question that only by the grace of God can anyone be saved in any dispensation, and that only by the grace of God can a race of holy people be brought to Heaven” (Walvoord, Major Bible Prophecies pp. 404-405).

There’s a Great Day coming, and “only by the grace of God can anyone be saved…” Check your spiritual life. Do you really know Jesus Christ, or do you just know about Him? If you’re not certain, commit your life to Him right now! Pray a prayer like this —

LORD, I admit that I have sinned against You and I ask You to forgive me.

I know that Jesus died on the Cross for my sins, and I accept Him by faith

as my LORD and Savior. Thank You for saving me! Amen!

Salvation is that simple. Don’t make it difficult. I was saved at seven years of age; I’ve known some who were saved at five and have continued to live for Him. Don’t look for a “feeling”; trust the LORD to have done what He promised: “Believe in the LORD Jesus, and you shall be saved…” (Acts 16:31). I am praying for you.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

One of our readers reminded me, “Thus, as wonderful as the Millennium will be, it is a far cry form the eternal New Heavens and New Earth, where sin and death are no more. Form God’s perspective, the like-Heaven-on-Earth Millennium is just surviving in the wilderness compared to the (perfect, sinless, deathless) eternal state.” Do you agree with our reader? I certainly do! What’s more, I sincerely trust that no reader surmised that I thought the Millennium was equal to Eternity with the LORD. Still, it will be better by far than what we’re experiencing in today’s world.

Satan Loosed

Revelation 20:4b, 7-8a, “And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years….7And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth…”

During the worldwide skirmish many, who refuse to take the Mark of the Beast, will be seeking refuge with others who are like-minded. Many, however, will be captured and murdered because they adhered to “the testimony of Jesus and because of the Word of God.” Nevertheless, they will be brought back to life and will reign with Christ for a thousand years.” Satan will be furious! Try as he would, he could not thwart the LORD’s divine plan. Those who are resurrected will live through the Millennium while Satan will be bound!

At or near the end of the thousand years, Satan will be loosed from bondage and will rage furiously against those who had refused the Mark of the Beast and been revived from death by the LORD. We are not given all the details or why Satan is freed from his imprisonment. The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian believers, “He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Cor. 15:25). Thus, it proves the superiority of the LORD over His creation, especially over all the evil, satanic forces that opposed Him from the beginning.

The Millennium

Isaiah 11:6-9, “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the kid, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them.

7Also the cow and the bear will graze; Their young will lie down together; And the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8And the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the Earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.”

In his own day, the Prophet Isaiah describes the Millennial era. It will be a “different” day. It will be the day in which the LORD rules and reigns over all the Earth!

There’s a song that is most popular around Christmastime. It says,

Let there be peace on Earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother

In perfect harmony.

And there’s another saying worthy of remembrance:

“We will never know peace on Earth until the Prince of Peace rules in our hearts.”

Satan Remanded Forever to the Lake of Fire

Revelation 20:14-15, “And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Following the Millennial Reign of Christ and Satan’s calculated release from bondage, Satan will once again be imprisoned. This time, he is cast forever into the Lake of Fire, where the Antichrist and False Prophet are. There is no respite this time. There is no escape. It is an everlasting imprisonment!

We live in an era when some popular, conservative pastors and theologians seek to temper, if not deny, the reality of Hell’s fire, as we know it. The Greek word for fire (pur), however, is the same for “hell fire” (Mat. 18:9) as it is for the physical fire the natives of Malta created in Acts 28. Make no mistake about it, Hell and the Lake of Fire are places of enormous pain and suffering. It’s as if sin were so serious with God that it takes His fire an eternity to eradicate it!

Conclusion

Dear friend, please don’t mess with God. He’s real, and He’s far more powerful than you or I could ever know. What’s more, He’s a loving God! He loves us as the pinnacle of His creation. It was His love that led Him to the Cross to die for our sins. It was His love that preserved His Word –the Bible—that you and I might know the way of salvation. I came to know Him at the early age of seven, and He has loved me for many years –even when I least deserved it. He reaches out in love to all, regardless of age. It’s not a matter of age; it’s a matter of faith. Just trust Him to forgive your sin. Trust Him to accept you into His family. However long you live, you will be glad you did! God bless you abundantly!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

I am sincerely endeavoring to keep these Letters as brief as possible, while still covering the major issues related to each faction of the study. Sometimes, too, the Scripture portion takes space beyond what I would like; yet, it’s vitally important that you read carefully what the Word says about the subject under discussion. It is always the most important aspect of these Letters.

Following Armageddon

Immediately following Jesus Christ’s victory over Evil in the battle of Armageddon, Satan, his angels, Antichrist and the False Prophet will be imprisoned and rendered powerless. Satan will be bound for a thousand years. Antichrist and the False Prophet are immediately cast into the Lake of Fire and will never be heard of again. At the end of the 1,000 years (the Millennium), Satan will be released for a very brief time and will again make war on the saints. Those who survived the Tribulation (i.e., “tribulation saints”) are they who rejected Antichrist and refused to take the Mark of the Beast. They will ultimately transmigrate into the Millennial Age.

Judgment of the Nations

Matthew 25:38-46, “”But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35’For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? 38 ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 ‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they themselves also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The Millennium

Revelation 20:1-15, “And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.

9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The LORD will then execute judgment on the nations of the world. During the Tribulation, people who followed Antichrist took the Mark of the Beast. Undoubtedly, many within various nations (Jews and Gentiles) will have sided with Antichrist. But not all. Those who have not sided with Antichrist will seek refuge against him and will protect others (including Jews) of the same mind. Thus, judgment will now fall upon those who served Antichrist, and security will prevail for those who did not. Those who were judged “innocent” will move into the Millennial Age under the jurisdiction of the LORD Jesus Christ.

Summation

My assessment is that the Millennial Age will be like living on our beautiful Earth without sin and degradation, such as we have today. The Earth that Jesus created was without a single flaw until the two He created decided to abandon His instruction and replace Him with themselves. That’s precise what’s occurring today on Earth! Salvation in Christ Jesus is the only remedy! We must trust Him in faith and love Him through our obedience! “Even so, Come, LORD Jesus!”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Revelation 20:2, “And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”

Revelation 20:14-15, “And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

It’s not unusual for me to encounter men that are bigger than I am. When I do, I often greet them saying, “I never mess with guys who are bigger than I.” It rarely fails to get a laugh. Big men like being big and they like for others to notice it, too.

God is like that. There’s no one bigger than He! And it’s His right not only to be bigger, but to want His creation to know and acknowledge it. At the same time, the LORD is a loving God. He is “not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9b).

Subsequent to the sins of Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden, the LORD unfolded His clearly developed plan for man’s redemption. He then tapped and enlisted men throughout the ages to carry His Message of Salvation to everyone in the world-at-large. Pastors, evangelists, missionaries, teachers, and multiplied others have been called by the LORD to spread His Word of hope and salvation. You and I are among that “multiplied others.” It is an urgent message for all time, especially as we come nearer and nearer to Christ’s Return!

Lucifer was once the Chief Angel of God! Yet, he was so lifted up with pride over his appearance and position that he thought himself greater than God (Ezk. 28:1ff). As strange as it seems, there was a war in Heaven (Rev. 12:7ff), and while Lucifer (a/k/a Satan) was soundly defeated, he enlisted one-third of the angels to follow him. They are multiple and are today the demons, who assist Satan in his ongoing war with the saved on Earth. Yet, those who are not saved, but neglect and stubbornly refuse to give heed to the LORD’s salvation, will find their way into the abyss called Hell!

In His Second Coming (subsequent to the Rapture), the LORD will war against Satan and win! Satan will then be bound and cast into Hell, along with the Antichrist and the False Prophet, counterparts to Christ and the Holy Spirit. The LORD created Hell for Satan and his cohorts. Yet, those of mankind, who either refuse or neglect His salvation, will themselves be cast into the abyss.

Matthew 25:41, “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal (??????? aionios) fire (??? pur) which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; (Matt. 25:41 NAS)

Luke 16:23-26, “And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment (??????? (basanos, torture), and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony (?????? odunao, suffering pain). 26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed (??????? (sterizo, made fast), in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’”

A few brief word study will help us better understand the meaning and urgency of these passages.

Sheol ?????? is a Hebrew word meaning underworld. It was the place of all dead, both righteous and unrighteous. The Old Testament does not give us the developed meaning of the afterlife that the New Testament does. Sheol, therefore, includes both Heaven and Hell. Only the context of the Scripture tells us which is intended.

Hades (????) is the New Testament equivalent of Sheol. It encompasses both Paradise and Hell, but is separated by a great, impenetrable gulf, so that neither group can cross over or mingle with the other. At the same time, conversation is apparently available between the two groups. Hell, nevertheless, is —

1) A place of separation – from God and His People

2) A place of agony – a place of extreme pain and discomfort

3) A place eternal – without remission! There is No Way Out!

No one wants to go to Hell. Yet, the only escape is through repentance and faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. If you have yet to trust His, let me urge you to do it now! If you have already trusted Him, but have family and friends who have not, let me urge you to witness to them earnestly and lovingly while there is time. Remember the Hour Glass… Time has a way of running out….

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

NOTE: Please fee free to share these Letters with others! Time has a way of –

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 14:2-3, “’In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.’”

Acts 1:11, “…’Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’”

In this current pandemic, I am forced to do banking by Drive-Thru. I was greeted by a young lady in a mask. I immediately raised my hands as if I were being robbed. It was the first time in my life I was being robbed by my banker! I have often kidded my bankers saying, “If you can’t trust your banker, who can you trust?” It gets a laugh, and at the same time it’s demonstrative of my sincere trust of them: what they say, and what they do.

But, I have a greater trust than in my bankers. I trust the words of my LORD Jesus Christ, who said, “I will come again.” His first coming was to fulfill the Law and to die on the Cross for our sins. He vindicated His death and its value to us by rising from the grave three days later. Evidence of His Resurrected Life is vindicated in the testimony of those who visibly saw Him after His Resurrection and from testimonies elsewhere in the Scripture. The Apostle Paul said:

I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ

died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried,

and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He

appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom

remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to

James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as it were to one untimely

born, He appeared to me also… (1 Cor. 15:3-8).

Why do firemen respond to fires? Why do they often enter burning buildings? Why do they respond to calls that relate to human health issues? They do it all for the preservation of lives! If you follow the news even casually, you know that the world-at-large is in turmoil! Wars, domestic disturbances, riots abound! People are harassed and killed simply because of what they believe. Jesus is coming to end the strife and turmoil that prevails on the Earth He once created.

The times that I have called the first responders, I was told to be prepared – to have the door unlocked, to move furniture or anything that would impede their quick and safe entry. Time was of the essence! And so it is with Jesus’ Coming. We must be prepared. We must unlock the recesses of our hearts and move sinful impediments out of the way. His coming is rapid; there is no room for hesitation.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and LORD? I’m not asking for your church’s denomination. What is imperative is whether you know Him! If you don’t, please turn your life over to Him now! Don’t put it off!

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time

of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would

not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you be ready

too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will”

(Matt. 24:43-44).

Jesus is Coming Again! It will be glorious! –yet, only for those who are truly ready.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”