John 5: 25
” Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”
This saying of Jesus’ is interesting because it seems to answer the question, “What about all of those people who lived and died before Jesus was born? How do they get to heaven?
Q: What kind of people will “hear the voice of the Son of God?”
People who’s hearts long for the heart of God. We can’t even truly fathom it, but can achieve it through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Good question to start the day with!!
Jeff, Jeff, you rascal you. I am having a tough enough time ministering to the here/now and you bring up those who have passed on. Being a simple man, I will simply say Jesus is speaking about those of us who have been dead in our sins and received life by responded to the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit by turning and accepting Christ.
I believe God has called us to minister to the living, but God has inspired the writers to include some interesting facts in the Bible. I thought it is interesting reading.
We simply cannot put God into a box.
1.) Jesus Talks with Moses and Elijah
Matthew 17:3-4 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, the brother of James, up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 While they watched, Jesus’ appearance was changed; his face became bright like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 Then Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you want, I will put up three tents here—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
2.) OT Saints raised from the dead:
Matthew 27:52-53 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
3.) Children killed before they could sin:
Babies being murdered: Since 1973, America has murdered over 63,000,000 babies, and on a world scale the number is 40,000,000 per year. Makes hitler, Stalin and Mao look like choir boys.
Deut. 1:39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
Rom. 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.
4.) Each will be judged according to the information they have received. Jesus said.
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty deeds done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you (Matthew 11:21-24).
The Scriptural truth is that to whom much has been given, much will be required.
But the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more (Luke 12:48).
5.) Enoch and Elijah to heaven without dying?”
Genesis 5:24 tells us, “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”
” Second Kings 2:11 tells us, “Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.”
Ron (we know who you are!!)
Thanks for doing all of the research on this question. Our God is God both of the here and the hereafter! My sense is that we will find ourselves more “alive” when we are in God’s presence directly than we generally feel over here: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Jeff, you caught me, I’ll tell you brother, I try to keep my comments short but your questions just sometimes open the floodgates of my mind. Your right, what a glorious time we are all going to have when we are together with our Lord. Keep doing what your doing brother.
Love ya, Ron
Great response from thr anonymous Ron. However, from the length of your response, I think you meant to go to Jeff’s other website… threeHOURbible.com. 🤓.
But seriously, enjoyed your response.
Ha Ha Ha. 🙂
Robster, you are on a roll! 🙂
Lol