Have You Kissed The Son?

Acts 7:60–8:3 (NKJV)

60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Recapping our last study, I closed with the death of Stephen and short changed you on his intercession for Israel and a deeper understanding of his death. Lord willing we should be able to get into that in this study. In review, the Sanhedrin was judged arbitrarily by the Holy Spirit in Stephen’s intercession for them, but the nation as a whole was still very much the apple of God’s eye (Ps.17:8; Zach.2:8). It will also be important to remember that is was Stephen who was able to look (or gaze into heaven) and see the Lord “standing” and coming with the clouds. Stephen was given a special vision of Christ at his death. But was his vision a contradiction to what Jesus said to the Pharisees? If you were with me you should be able to say, no; there was no contradiction. What we had was two separate visions of the stages of Christ’s coming. The first stage is a resurrection for God’s elect who have already been “judged in Him” at the cross of Jesus Christ, also known as the resurrection of the just or the (Bema Judgment)(1Thess.4:17; Rom.6:8; Rev.20:6). The final stage of His coming is the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of His earthly reign with the resurrected saints, which is also known as the second death (Rev.20:5) and the resurrection of the unjust (Dan.12:2).

Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Imagine the following scenes happening to you in place of Stephen being pulverized by stones literally crushing your body. There are dozens of people throwing rocks at you and the sting of each one penetrates your nerves with pain. Purple bruises begin to form as a result of internal bleeding from the pressure of the rocks striking and reflecting off of your body. Each blow of the rocks pushes you to your knees crying out in pain. Wouldn’t this be a good time to “gnash” your teeth at your tormentors and call fire down from heaven upon them? Wouldn’t this be an opportune time and a justified plea to curse your enemies? Not for Stephen. Stephen petitions the Lord not to credit this sin to them. Why? Stephen understood that most of those who were putting him to death were ignorant of the grace of Christ. He also understood that vengeance was of the Lord. Stephen’s conscience was free from the condemnation of his tormentors. Stephen was living free as he is being condemned by them and offering up his mind and body as worship to the Savior. Some may be tempted to say that he deserved it because he was in contempt of their court accusing them of not keeping the law and exposing their uncircumcised heart. Who was this commoner to judge the most honorable and well educated of Israel? Maybe you’re thinking Stephen’s judgment was just?

Stephen didn’t think so. As he prays for the exoneration of his tormentors he doesn’t disregard the sin of it. Stephen clearly calls it a sin (Acts 7:51, 52). Therefore, in his intercession he is not justifying the sin but pleads the Lord not to credit the sin to them by looking upon Stephen as a sacrifice of love for them. Stephen is basically asking the Lord to honor him as sacrifice to work His power of love through. In my opinion the Lord honors Stephen with the conversion of Saul who becomes the apostle to the Gentiles. Stephen was a “Hellenistic Jew” just as Saul was. It took the death of Stephen to open the eyes of Saul on road to Damascus. Lord willing we look at the conversion of Saul later. For now let’s focus on the death of Stephen.

Scripture often uses “sleep” as a euphemism for death. Kings and Chronicles frequently state, “[the king] slept with his fathers and was buried” (1 K. 2:10; 11:43; 14:31; etc.), meaning that he died a natural death and was given a proper state burial. At the final judgment even the dead will be awakened from their sleep, some to eternal life and others to eternal condemnation (Dnl. 12:2). The Bible often uses “fall asleep” in the sense of natural death (Mt. 27:52; Jn. 11:11; Acts 7:60; 13:36; 1 Cor. 15:6, 18, 20; 1 Thess. 4:14f.; 2 Pet. 3:4), but it also extends the concept to refer to spiritual death. This spiritual meaning is apparent in Mk. 13:35f, where Jesus warns His followers: “Watch … lest he [Christ] come suddenly and find you asleep.” A hymn in Eph. 5:14 emphasizes this point: “therefore it is said, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light” ’ (cf. Rom. 13:11; 1 Thess. 5:6f.). Hartley, J. E. (1979–1988). Sleep; Asleep. In G. W. Bromiley (Ed.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Vol. 4, p. 549). Wm. B. Eerdmans.

J. E. Hartley has got it right. Κοιμάομαι/κοιμάω is the Greek word for sleep. It literally means the state of being asleep, but Luke’s intent is not soul sleep. Soul sleep is a false doctrine that teaches when the body dies, the soul or spirit of a man, enters a time of sleep until the day of resurrection. While I don’t think this is a damnable heresy, it does however result in a lot of systematic confusion, based on the ignorance of some who lack discipleship. Notice that Hartley points out that the fathers used it as a euphemism for death. It was never to be taken literally. However, depending upon the salvation of a soul, one does immediately enter a restful state in the presence of the Lord. It also gives us who are alive the idea of a time lapse between death and resurrection. Luke is most likely using the term to describe that Stephen has now been taken up to the very vision he saw of the Lord “standing in the clouds” (Acts 7:55,56). Stephen’s vision of heaven “opened” was the indication that he will be with the Lord this very day. Heaven was being opened to him and the Lord was standing to receive him. By Luke using the term “fell asleep” he is telling the reader that Stephen is now at rest with the Lord. No longer does Stephen have to suffer or toil under the condemnation of men. Stephen is now completely free from all men and at full liberty in the grace of the Lord (1Cor.7:23).

It would be helpful to think of death by the modern idea of a time machine. A time machine takes us from one realm of time in history to another (1Cor.15:51-52). Death and resurrection work in the same way. When one dies they are immediately transferred from one dimension of time to the day of the resurrection of the just or the unjust depending upon our justification. The just will be resurrected at Christ’s bodily return.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NKJV)

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Paul doesn’t want us to be ignorant of this because when Christ comes in the clouds, it is in judgment upon the world. But not to us who are being saved (1Cor.1:18). God has not appointed us to wrath. Therefore Paul wants us to know that the beloved will be resurrected first (v.16) and will be coming in the clouds of judgment with the Lord when He takes His vengeance upon the earth. Those who are alive and remain in Israel will follow at His coming leading Israel in repentance. God is not going to pour out His vengeance upon those whom He has already judged in His Son (v.5:9). Israel who looks upon the King whom they pierced will repent at the rapture of His coming (Rev.11:12; 12:5.6). They will be caught up after being preserved alive through His wrath upon the world (Rev.14:1). This was important to Paul for us to understand because it is good news for the Israel of God (Gal.6:16). It is not a debatable issue for those who may oppose it. It is a hill to die on because the assurance of the believer depends upon it. It is what gave Stephen assurance and it also is what Paul believed about Stephen (2Cor.12:2) before Paul understood what Stephen saw at his death. This doctrine is to comfort us and that is why it is a hill to die on. This is the doctrine of the trumpet that the Church marches to (Joel 2:1). This is the sleeping giant that will be resurrected at the last age. This is why we need to understand the resurrection of the unjust. Those who do not know God will not take part in the first resurrection.

John 5:28–29 (NKJV)

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

Jesus states this in a way that would give us the impression that these occur within the same hour. On the surface it does appear that way but when we put all the verses in context about the resurrection together, we find that is not merely what Jesus is saying. As I noted before we need to think of death in terms of a time machine. When we die we will be transferred immediately to the time of one of these two resurrections. Jesus uses the term “hour” because it is a short period of time that will exist between these two events. The term is also used for our benefit to understand it in regards to time. But in reality, for those that are experiencing the resurrection, it will be in a twinkling of an eye (1Cor.15:52). Jesus is basically quoting Daniel 12:2-3. Those who are risen in first resurrection, according to Daniel, shall shine like the brightness of the heavens, turn many to righteousness, and rule with wisdom. John’s vision gives a more detailed understanding of that (age).

Revelation 20:4–6 (NKJV)

4 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. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 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.

These verses are often used to teach that at death a believer goes to God as a disembodied spirit and that this is really not a literal one thousand year period of time. John making the note, that the “souls” of those who were beheaded for their witness of Jesus and the Word of God, is not trying to say that in the first resurrection believers will not have a body (Lk.20:34-36), but that they will not be identifiable as male or female (persons). Therefore John refers to them as “souls.” But those who are counted worthy to attain “that age,” and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; . . . The term “age” is always in reference to time in relation to the creation when used in the singular as in Lk.20:35 (ἐκείνου τοῦ αἰῶνος) [ The New King James Version. (1982). (Lk 20:35). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. ] aion is used once in the genitive which limits this resurrection to those who are worthy to this period of time within the bounds of creation. When αἰών is used in the plural and repeated it refers to an extended period of time without limit and not restricted to the creation, as in Gal.1:3-5: (εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων) Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. [The New King James Version. (1982). (Ga 1:5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.] Notice how Paul transitions from this present evil “age” in the genitive singular to the “ages of ages” (accusative plural and genitive plural) in relation to God’s glory. This expresses the eternality of God’s glory that continues from age to age and into eternity. So the period of time between these resurrections is considered one age known as the Day of the Lord (2Peter 3:10; Joel 2:31, 32; 1Thess.5:2). But when Christ comes again He is called the Ancient of Days.

Daniel 7:9 (NKJV)

9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; . . .

Notice the similarities of John’s vision of the thrones and how the saints sit on thrones with Jesus Christ compaired with Daniel’s vision. But the title of Christ as the Ancient of Days is what we need to notice about Daniel’s vision. This is a revelation of Jesus in regards to a period of time (of Days) and we do not know the exact period of time without knowing John’s vision of the one thousand years (Rev.20:7). So this will be a bodily reign of Jesus Christ at the last age before the second death of the resurrection of the unjust. At the resurrection of the unjust the sea will give up the dead (those who died in the first age of the global flood) and Death and Hades (this current age and the age of the resurrection of the just) will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire (Rev.20:13).

Revelation 20:7–15 (NKJV)

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Death and Hades are terms to express the ages and dominion of the earth. Death refers to the condemnation of Adam’s sin by which the whole world was judged (Gen.2:17) and Hades refers to the dominion of that condemnation (Matt.16:18; Acts 2:31; 1Cor.15:55; Rev.1:18) literally the realm of the living dead. The Hebrew equivalent שְׁאֹול (Sheol) refers to the grave or the final abode of the dead, but it also was understood as the underworld. It is important to note that these are really pagan terms that Holy Spirit used to convey the condition and depravity of man. The world will be judged based on their works under this dominion. In Adam’s fall into sin all are born in Sheol or Hades in a figurative sense which means under the condemnation of sin (Jn.3:18). The second death (v.14) or lake of fire does not have power over those who take part in the first resurrection (v.6). But those who die in their sins are resurrected “in a blink of an eye” to be judged at this “Great White Throne” (v.11). The question we need to be asking ourselves is which resurrection will we be raised to at the last Day.

John 6:35–40 (NKJV)

35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 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.”

Matthew 25:31–34 (NKJV)

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

The Son of Man comes in glory with the saints to separate the Gentile nations one from another (one by one) as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Those who die in rebellion to the Son during the earthly reign of Christ will be resurrected and separated unto the second death. Those nations who kiss the Son will inherit the kingdom prepared for them as a reward from the foundation of the world (Ps.2:12; Lk.14:14).

Matthew 25:41 (NKJV)

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: