Don't be a scoffer...
“... scoffers will come in the last days
... saying,
Where is the promise of His coming?
For ... all things continue
as they were from the beginning of creation.
... 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 3:3-9)
Jesus did not stay in the grave.
Physical death was part of the curse. God cursed man because of sin with a limited lifespan: he would return to the ground of the earth from which he came. The immediate death that resulted from sin was an alienation from God, but physical death was a subsequent consequence of sin, being a part of the curse.
Since the death of Jesus was for sin, to bear what sin required, the curse could then be removed. The curse included physical death. Jesus could rise from the dead, physically, because the original cause of the curse was dealt with. And Jesus was given the authority to reverse the curse: just as Jesus has authority to give eternal life (being “born again”), he also has authority to raise the dead. Jesus rose from the dead, being proof that satisfaction for sin had been made, and that he had authority to give life both eternally and physically—the latter to be a time determined by God, involving all who have ever lived.
17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you ... have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake... [and] you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:17-19
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. Hebrews 9:27-28
The Law of Moses revealed the sinfulness of Israel, or anyone who sought to live by it, because of their inability to do the Law; therefore, all under the Law are under the curse of the Law.
Christ suffered the curse of the Law, so that the Lawbreaker could be released from the curse of the Law and be justified, receive eternal life ("born again"), and be released from the curse of physical death.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10-14
Jesus was cursed for us—alienated from God and put to death on the cross—so that we, through faith in Him as our Savior from sin, could be justified, born again, and be released from the curse of physical death.
"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Romans 4:3 …
23 Now it was not written for his [Abraham's] sake alone that it [righteousness, that is “justification”] was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It [justification] shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Romans 4:23-25
[Jesus said:] "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. John 17:1-2
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 1 Corinthians 15:21-23
24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
25 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.
26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
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. John 5:24-29
...A great, fiery red dragon
having seven heads and ten horns,
and seven diadems on his heads.
... the dragon [Satan working through King Herod]
stood before the woman [Israel]
who was ready to give birth,
to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
She bore a male Child[The Christ]
who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.
And her Child was caught up [Christ's ascension]
to God and His throne.
Then the woman [a remnant of Israel]
fled into the wilderness [during “great tribulation”],
where she has a place prepared by God,
that they should feed her there
one thousand two hundred and sixty days [3 ½ years].
Revelation 12:3-6
… The woman [a remnant of Israel] was given
two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness [during great tribulation]
to her place, where she is nourished
for a time and times and half a time [ 3 ½ years],
from the presence of the serpent [the dragon and Satan].
... And the dragon was enraged with the woman,
and he went to make war
with the rest of her offspring [the church/ Christians],
who keep the commandments of God
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:14-17
The dragon [Satan] gave
him [the “beast” or “Antichrist”]
his power, his throne, and great authority.
... all the world marveled
and followed the beast.
So they worshiped the dragon
who gave authority to the beast;
and they worshiped the beast,
saying, "Who is like the beast?
Who is able to make war with him?"
And he [the beast, Antichrist]
was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies,
and he was given authority
to continue for forty-two months [3 ½ years].
Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,
to blaspheme His name,
His tabernacle [the “abomination of desolation”],
and those who dwell in heaven.
It was granted to him
to make war with the saints [“great tribulation”]
and to overcome them.
And authority was given him
over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
All who dwell on the earth will worship him,
whose names have not been written
in the Book of Life of the Lamb
slain [Christ's crucifixion]
from the foundation of the world.
If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
He who leads into captivity [during the “great tribulation”]
shall go into captivity;
he who kills with the sword
must be killed with the sword.
Here is the patience and the faith
of the saints [christians/the Church].
Revelation 13:2-10
At that time Michael [the archangel] shall stand up,
the great prince who stands watch
over the sons of your [Daniel's] people [Israel];
and there shall be a time of trouble [the “great tribulation”],
such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.
And at that time your [Daniel’s] people [Israel]
shall be delivered,
every one who is found written in the book [“the Book of Life”].
Daniel 12:1
[Jesus said:] Therefore when you see
the 'abomination of desolation,'
spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place [the Jewish temple]
(whoever reads, let him understand),
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
… For then there will be great tribulation,
such as has not been
since the beginning of the world until this time,
no, nor ever shall be.
And unless those days were shortened,
no flesh would be saved;
but for the elect's [the people of God] sake
those days will be shortened.
Matthew 24:15-22
[Jesus said:] Immediately after the [great] tribulation
of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Then the sign of the Son of Man
will appear in heaven...
they will see the Son of Man coming
on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet
and they will gather together His elect [the people of God]
from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other.
Matthew 24:29-31
[the Apostle Paul said:] For I do not desire, brethren,
that you should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest you should be wise in your own opinion,
that blindness in part has happened to Israel
until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
And so all Israel [the nation] will be saved,
as it is written:
"The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
For this is My [New] covenant with them,
when I take away their sins."
Romans 11:25-27
The writer of Hebrews in explaining why it is “impossible to please” God “without faith” says that the one “who comes to God must believe that He is,” and the same must believe that God “is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Obviously, one has to believe that God exists. It is not just believing in His existence, but that He is a “rewarder” of those who diligently seek him. These two things are essential in coming to God, and the second requirement goes far beyond just believing that there is a God.
Believing that God is a “rewarder” of those who diligently seek Him implies several things. It recognizes that God is not far removed from his creation. God is searchable and knowable. He wants to be known. There is revelation from God that tells us about Him. To believe He is a rewarder says something about his character. God not only wants to be known, but He rewards those who diligently seek him with knowledge about Himself. Who is this God and what does He want me to know? If God wants to be known and has made revelation available, then it's not a stretch to conclude there is an accountability to God concerning that revelation.
Not only is there creation to reveal God and which gives reason to believe that He is—faith has an object (such as the evidence of God in creation), and to believe is to have faith—there is special revelation from God of who He is, and what He expects from us, that came through His involvement with mankind through prophets (especially from the nation of Israel) and ultimately through Jesus Christ.
We read in Hebrews 1:1-4: 1 God, Who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
The Apostle Paul makes reference to all these things when he was in Athens Greece on a place called the Areopagus, where certain philosophers and Athenians met:
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 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 17:22-31
Paul's message here addresses these different issues of belief, and it speaks of an accountability to what God has revealed. The ultimate revelation was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead—that God has chosen Him as the revelation to mankind about Himself, and what He wants mankind to know and believe.
