Gan-Eden or Gei-Hinnom

(The future of all Mankind)

​The Future Destiny of Mankind

The future destiny of all human beings after we die is a very complicated matter that has plagued every developed culture since death entered into the world of mankind. All religions of the world including the Avrahamic faiths of Jewish, Christian and Islam have all tried to explain the unexplainable. But as Yeshua is the only human who has ever passed through death and gone on to live albeit in a transformed body, no other person has ever been able to give a clear and definitive answer as to what happens after we die. Hence, there has been much speculation and many mystical solutions put forward claiming to be the right answer.
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So rather than add to the confusion it is better that we step back, take a deep breath and plunge once again into Scripture. If we acknowledge that the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) are words from God and the B’rit Hadashah (New Covenant Scriptures) are the work of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), then we have a solid foundation upon which to examine the events relating to this most complex subject.

While there are many references to death and the future of mankind throughout the Scriptures, there are a few verses that stand out in the way they explain this perplexing matter. Those verses explore what is yet to happen following the return of Yeshua, which itself leads toward the final outcome for all mankind. Scripture says the final outcome will be judgement, which is spoken about particularly strongly in Revelation where the determination of whether a person goes to Gan-Eden or Gei-Hinnom is considered in detail. The final judgement is expressed particularly well in Revelation 20:11-13 saying:-  I saw a great white throne and the One sitting on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened; and another book was opened, the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from what was written in the books, according to what they had done. The sea gave up the dead in it; and Death and Sh’ol gave up the dead in them; and they were judged, each according to what he had done. 

The Timing of the Great White Throne Judgement

One difficult feature about those verses is that the narrative gives no actual time frame for when the great white throne judgement will occur. Many Christian denominations have suggested that these verses say that the whole judgement process takes place at some unstated instant in time following the death of each individual person.

When the verses are considered carefully, we see they cover many different events which combine to reveal the timing and character of the judgement. When verses 11-13 are viewed in context with the preceeding verses 1-10 we see that these verses precede the great white throne judgement and establish a fixed point in time in relation to the age of planet earth.

Firstly in verses 1-7 we are told that the adversary will be chained for 1000-years during the reign of Yeshua. But, after his reign has ended the adversary will again be let loose and allowed to deceive the nations once more.
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Then in verse 10 the adversary is finally thrown into the Lake of Fire suggesting that event may well occur immediately before the great white throne judgement. Then in verse 12 we are told the dead are standing before the throne when the Books are opened. But in verse 13 it speaks about Death and Sh’ol giving up the dead in them. Logic suggests that if the dead are to be standing before the throne they must have been raised from death sometime earlier. So verses 12 and 13 can’t be considered as a chronological succession. The narrative suggests that the judgement is a progressive rather than instant event.
 
Sha’ul adds weight to that assumption in his lengthy discourse on the many sequential events that impact on human history as revealed in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 saying:-  The fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man. For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. But each in his own order: the Messiah is the first fruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power. For he has to rule until he puts all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be done away with will be death, for “He put everything in subjection under his feet.” But when it says that “everything” has been subjected, obviously the word does not include God, who is himself the one subjecting everything to the Messiah. Now when everything has been subjected to the Son, then he will subject himself to God, who subjected everything to him; so that God may be everything in everyone.
 
Sha’ul says that the last enemy to be put under Messiah’s feet is death, after which he hands all things back to God. So returning to Revelation 20:14 we see there that:- Death and Sh’ol were hurled into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
 
After both death and Sh’ol (that is the grave of mankind) are thrown into the fire, God then sits on the great white throne for the final judgement, with the outcome revealed in verse 15:- Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was hurled into the lake of fire.
 
As we saw earlier in verse 12 the final judgement Books were opened including the Book of Life. So all who stand before the judgement throne need to be fully aware of what their judgement involves. In Yochanan (John) 5:45 Yeshua says:- “Don’t think that it is I who will be your accuser before the Father. Do you know who will accuse you? Moshe, the very one you have counted on!  Yes, the Five Books of the Torah of Moshe (Moses) are the ones that will be opened along with the Book of Life. But in verses 46-47 Yeshua continues:- For if you really believed Moshe, you would believe me; because it was about me that he wrote. But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”
 
Further, Yochanan 1:1-2 says:- In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Here we are being told that Yeshua at the beginning of human history was the Word of God. So the whole matter is a closed loop. As he was the Word of God who gave his words to Moshe, who in his writing them down spoke about Yeshua who later came in the flesh.
 
So for all mankind from Adam onward to be finally judged from books about which most have never seen nor heard means that the judgement of God will totally unjust. That is unless people are given a chance to hear and accept both the words and the author of those words, before they face that final judgement. That is why before the final judgement can occur, death and Sh’ol have to be thrown into the Lake of Fire. But, before that can happen, all mankind must be resurrected into the 1000-year reign of Yeshua.
 
Then when he hands all things back to his Father (God) it is God who sits on the great white throne and judges all mankind using the Torah of Moshe. So all mankind must by then be aware of who their judge is and on what basis they are being judged. Hence, the events in that final judgement can only occur once all other events have been completed, including the throwing of the adversary into the Lake of Fire. So, we see that mankind must all be raised into the 1000-year reign of Yeshua.

What about the One New Man

Having established that the final judgement occurs sometime after the 1000-year reign of Yeshua, we also need to consider where the One New Man as the Body of Yeshua fits into the whole end time scenario.

Previously we considered the reality that all who have been called through the work of the Ruach HaKodesh and have the promise of a place in the first resurrection to serve with Yeshua as Cohanim (Priests) during his 1000-year reign. That is confirmed for us in Revelation 20:6:- Blessed and holy is anyone who has a part in the first resurrection; over him the second death has no power. On the contrary, they will be cohanim of God and of the Messiah, and they will rule with him for the thousand years.
 
Here Yochanan speaks about the first resurrection, where he says those who have been chosen to be Cohanim will have a part of the first resurrection. but will not be effected by the second death. By implication that means the rest of mankind will become part of the second resurrection during the last day. This is confirmed in Job 19:25-26 (NIV):- I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;

And again in Dani’el 12:13:- But you, go your way until the end comes. Then you will rest and rise for your reward, at the end of days.”
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And also in Yochanan 5:28-29:- Don’t be surprised at this; because the time is coming when all who are in the grave will hear his voice and come out — those who have done good to a resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to a resurrection of judgment.

But we also see in the words of Yochanan 3:16:- “God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed.
 
These verses confirm that it was never God’s intention that mankind should remain asleep in the death passed on by Adam, so during the reign of Yeshua all who have a part in the second resurrection will be given an opportunity to acknowledge and trust in Yeshua who himself as YHVH will give them access to the Tree of Life which will be in Gan-Eden.

The Sovereign Plan of God

What we have been looking at above is the completion of the Sovereign Plan of God as expressed through my Chiastic Metaphor (see The Sovereign Plan of God essay). In it we see how the Messiah came into the world in the person of Yeshua to firstly to redeem Isra’el and also the rest of mankind. ​

​Just as Adam was formed to glorify God in Gan-Eden, so also at the completion of the metaphor, all mankind who trust in Yeshua will again bring glory to God in the restored Gan-Eden. Only those who freely reject Yeshua during his 1000-year redemptive reign will be destroyed in Gei-Hinnom. 

Trust in Yeshua

As Yochanan 3:16 says it will be all those who put their trust in Yeshua who will be given access to the Tree of Life in Gan-Eden. But as the majority of humanity have never had such an opportunity in this life now, it seems perfectly logical that God would provide an opportunity following the return of Yeshua. Then while the adversary is chained humans will be able to make a truly freewill choice for life in Gan-Eden or destruction in Gei-Hinnom. There will be no coercion from the adversary as we are told in Revelation 20:1-3:-
 
Next I saw an angel coming down from heaven, who had the key to the Abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan [the Adversary] and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, locked it and sealed it over him; so that he could not deceive the nations any more until the thousand years were over. After that, he has to be set free for a little while.

Epilogue

​My Chiastic Metaphor portrays the overall Sovereign Plan of God as it applies to all mankind and has been God’s way of restoring what was once lost. All who have descended from Adam were meant to bring glory to God in the Garden that YHVH-Elohim (God) planted. Again at the end of God’s great Shabbat all things will once again be restored to the way he intended them to be! Once again all mankind will bring glory to God in the restored Garden of God. 

As Talmidim of Yeshua we say each week at the end of our Shabbat Service, that our calling is our task. Therefore, it is beholden upon us to bring forth the truths of Scripture and to share with others both here in New Zealand and abroad the sure and certain hope that Scripture holds out not only for we who are living in the 21st century world, but also for all people who have gone before us. Most people from the past have either not heard or have failed to acknowledge the depth of the message of redemption that God has offered to all mankind from Adam onward. It is our privilege and calling to show through Scripture that all people do have a reason for hope in the future. This is a particularly important message to share during the current Covid-19 pandemic. It is also important that we all take every available opportunity to share with other people our appreciation for the overall scriptural message as partially revealed in this webpage before Yeshua returns.

Shalom in the Name of Yeshua HaMashiach

"This essay was written by Graeme Purdie – Founder of Talmidei Yeshua Messianic Ministry of NZ and may only be shared in full and must include this citation at all times. All scriptural references, unless stated otherwise, have been taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029 www.messianicjewish.net."

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