Tag: reward

Receiving a Full Reward

Compiled by church elders

Rth 2:11  (NKJV) And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.

Rth 2:12  The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

The book of Ruth is one of the most significant books in all of the Bible when it comes to the topic of receiving a full reward.  It is about a Moabite woman, a stranger unto the people of God, who has forsaken everything as the apostles of Christ did to follow the Lord.  Ruth started just gleaning in the field of Boaz.  When Boaz saw her diligence to serve Naomi who typifies the people of God, Boaz rewarded her by inviting her to eat with him and the reapers.

Rth 2:14 (MKJV) And Boaz said to her, At mealtime come here and eat of the bread and dip your bit in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers. And he handed her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied, and left.

Boaz then commanded his servants to let her glean among the sheaves and not to rebuke her.  This is a symbol of our Lord increasing our reward in this age as we follow in His footsteps.

Rth 2:15 (MKJV) And when she had risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not rebuke her.

Rth 2:16 And also let fall of the handfuls on purpose for her, and leave them so that she may glean them, and do not rebuke her.

Ruth is being given the down payment of the full reward here as the wages of her work [faith], this reward coming from the Lord God, “under whose wings [she] has come to trust”.

Rth 2:17 (MKJV) And she gleaned in the field until the evening, and beat out what she had gleaned. And it was about an ephah of barley.

Ruth’s harvest of “about an ephah of barley” signifies the perfection of God’s people through righteous judgment or “a perfect and just measure”.

Deu 25:14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

Deu 25:15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure [same word translated ephah in Rth 2:17] shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ruth’s story culminated in her marriage to Boaz and giving birth to Obed who is the father of Jesse.

Ruth’s marriage to Boaz signifies the church’s marriage to its bridegroom Christ.  Marriage is a symbol of being one with someone, and that is our greatest reward, to be one with Christ and the Father.

Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. [=one mind]

Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

This reward is also known as “eternal life” which is to intimately know God and Jesus Christ and which comes to us as we are given power over our flesh which is our salvation.

Joh 17:2  As thou hast given him [Christ in us] power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life [the reward] to as many as thou hast given him.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

All mankind will receive this great reward in the end there being no difference apart from the timing as this study will prove using the Scriptures.

It is through our marriage with Christ that we come to know Him and give birth to the new man, the renewing mindset within us that will then grow into maturity.  Obed, who is the physical root of Jesse, signifies the spiritual root of Jesse who is Christ.

Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

The birth of Obed is the symbol of the birth of Christ within each person who will grow into a full man in due time.

Like Ruth, we enjoy this great reward in this life by partaking of the fruit of the spirit in earnest. Our joy is fulfilled as we fellowship with likeminded believers.

Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3Jn 1:4 (NKJV) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

As the Lord continues to give us His mind, we delight in His law more and more and nothing in the Word offends us, including verses pertaining to the lake of fire and the resurrection of damnation.  The peace He gives us also gives us boldness in the midst of persecution.

Psa 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Being a part of His one body, we grow closer and closer to each other, having the same care for one another.

1Co 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

1Co 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

As we are being called to “come up hither”, to press towards the mark for the prize (the reward) of the high calling in Christ Jesus, it is beneficial for us to understand what our rewards or wages in their fullness shall be.

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

“I will show you things which must be hereafter”.  What does the Scripture reveal “must be hereafter”?

We need not lean on our natural understanding, but as those being made faithful to the Truth, we must rest on all that which is written:

Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

One of the good traditions we have learned at the feet of Christ as His disciples is the encouragement to constantly ask questions of the Lord.  A child who seeks to grow in wisdom and understanding will be seen asking questions, seeking for hidden treasures, and knocking to gain entrance into the Master’s kingdom.

Luk 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Luk 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The Way is clear for everyone to ask questions, and in this study, we will be asking some questions such as:

Is the reward the Lord promises exclusive to a select few or for all men in their appointed time? 

How is the Lord working “all things” for the Elect and how will He work “all things” for others to attain that same reward?

Our questions are as relevant today as when Peter first asked the Lord:

Mat 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

An unconverted Peter was asking out of sincerity then, just as if any one of us will ask when we are bid to come and work at the Master’s Vineyard.  We do not take a job without first considering the rewards/wages whether it’ll be sufficient to keep us.  Likewise, the good man of the house does not take on laborers, without first agreeing with them of the wage He will be paying.

It is not in our Lord to do the laborer any wrong, to deceive the workers,  changing their wages ten times during work. Neither is He an austere man, or worst of all, using the laborer’s service without wages!

Jer 22:13 Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;  

We will be seeking to know the mind of the Lord, not only on the laborers He hires in this lifetime when He got out “early in the morning” to seek them, (after being raised from the dead) but what about the rest of men to come?

Mat 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

Will He be hiring others also into His vineyard, and what must they do (in the age to come) to get their rewards?

Will it be a full reward or will He be changing the agreement midway and offering only half a reward to them?

The Lord will not reproach any of us seeking to know these truths.

Jas 1:5  (NKJV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Many are called, Few are chosen.

In this life, we are seeing that many are called to seek Christ after the flesh, and few are being chosen to seek, know and live the life of Christ after the Spirit.

1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Nevertheless, does the reward of those few chosen differ from those God will bring to Himself in the age to come?

We need not lean upon worldly wisdom to answer Peter’s question and those posed above.  Let us first revisit our Lord’s answer to Peter.

Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting [=Aionian] life.

Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

We need to constantly remind ourselves that Christ is always focused on the inside and on the cleansing of our hearts.  The regeneration is the renewing of our mind that begins today for the Elect that comes only from the pouring out of the Spirit.

Tit 3:3  For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

Tit 3:4  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Tit 3:6  whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Tit 3:7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Judging the twelve tribes of Israel is the same as the Elect judging themselves now to be prepared to be the judges and saviors (Oba 1:21) of all men in the age to come.

The Lord told Peter and all the disciples that judgment will be committed to them through which they will inherit eonian Life. The time of judgment is the time of the harvest, where the tares and wheat are separated.

Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

There are three “time of harvests” in the year, of gathering the wheat into the Lord’s barn.

We will now search the Scripture further to compare the reward given to those chosen of God while still in physical flesh (those in second harvest) with the rest of men, those in the third harvest.

The harvests and order of salvation.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: [=this is the time of harvest] [#1] Christ the firstfruits; afterward [#2]…they that are Christ’s at his coming.

1Co 15:24 [#3] Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 

This order was first typified for us in the Old Testament. A year signifies a cycle of time that includes all men.

Exo 23:14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

Exo 23:15 [#1] Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)

Exo 23:16 [#2] And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: [#3] and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

Christ was the first to enter His Father’s glory and shed sinful flesh. He was  the first one to keep God’s judgments, thus He was the first to reap 

God’s full reward.  He is the example, the forerunner of the plenteous harvests to follow, the second and third harvest.

Jesus Christ, as an example of what the Father will do with the rest of His Creation, was the first to receive a full reward of the Father’s holy spirit.

All things Christ did was done in a parable (Mar 4:11), to show us what He is going to do within the hearts and mind of each man.  All things Christ did are for our sakes (2Co 4:15).

Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are  witnesses.

Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Then comes the time of the second harvest, whereby the laborers have to work for their wages.

Mat 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Mat 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

The laborers for the harvest (in type) are the chosen disciples:

Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

….and sending them forth into the field. The field is the world (Mat 13:38) and is a type of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 

Mat 5:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The time of the harvest/Judgment comes shortly before the time of attaining a full reward.  This is the same for all three harvests. We have now established the order of judgment/salvation.   We shall now see the one event that precedes the full reward.

Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment [=the harvest] must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

The answer to Peter’s question is that all that do not obey the gospel, which is all men will go through the same process, the one event of judgment that will transform them into obedient sons of God and be given the same full reward which is eternal life and knowing God and Jesus Christ.  A more detailed study will be presented on Peter’s question yet the short answer is that all men will go through the same fiery event and judgment to receive their reward of knowing the Lord and His Father.

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath

Let’s return to focusing on the events surrounding the harvest:

Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [aion/age]; and the reapers are the angels.

Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

This is the living and active event at the end of the age [aion] of our old man, before any wage/reward is handed out.

Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The event at this stage we all take part in is nothing but as a curse to our flesh. This is suffering the heat and burden of the day.

Mat 20:12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

But after that.…

Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The righteous shining forth as the sun is the end of the harvest.

We shall be rightly dividing further, in easier to be understood words the reward at the end of these harvests.

The third harvest of men—The rest of the world.

The feast of tabernacles is the same as the feast of ingathering, where the old Man must appear.

Deu 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty:

Everyone, even the heathen MUST keep the feast of tabernacles, the third harvest and appear before God in their appointed time.

Zec 14:16 (KJV)And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Zec 14:17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

Zec 14:18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Zec 14:19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

In other words, no one is exempt from appearing before God.  No one is exempt from the time of harvest.  No man is exempt from the Judgment day.

Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked [overlooked for now, reserved for judgment] at; but NOW commandeth all men every where to repent: […keeping the principle, “each man in their own order”]

Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

No man is exempt from appearing before the judgment seat of Christ.

2Co 5:10 (KJV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

So to receive any kind of reward of God, one must first appear before the Judge of all, the rewarder of all.

The first harvest of the first fruit has already taken place. Christ’s flesh has been judged not to enter the kingdom of God. He has worked in the Father’s vineyard and is now seated on His right hand with the full reward.

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Trials & Tribulations before the Prize.

Gathering the tares to be burnt in a furnace is the great tribulation upon all the sins of the old man, those that cause offense and iniquity.  This event happens within those in the second harvest, then within those in the third harvest of men.

All rewards of the good man are obtained by first going through His judgments, to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether  

Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 

Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them [=JUDGMENTS…] there is great reward.

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire [our judgment in the lake of fire], that thou mayest be rich [receiving the great reward]; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest  see.

The Lord is now beginning to reveal to us HOW the third harvest in the age to come will also be granted the very same “great reward” the Elect receive earlier in the second harvest.

All mankind will enter the kingdom of God in the same manner, the true Jews first and then the Gentiles.

Act 15:11 (NKJV) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham [the great reward – Gen 15:1] might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The reward is given as we go through this wrath and the fear of God grows in us. So, it is also a living and active event building up to the full reward, day by day.   Let us search these deep living and active things of God that are making the word of God alive in our hearts.

THY WRATH IS COME.

Rev 11:18 (KJV)  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward…

The reward will eventually come to all [spiritually dead] whom the wrath of God comes upon, all whom judgment of God comes upon…beginning at:

….unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth [you are the temple of God]

1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days [process of judgment via the harvests] I will raise it up.

All men will fear God in due time.  But once again, holding fast to the tradition of Christ, that is, our guiding principles, there is an order to it all.

2Th 2:15 (NKJV) Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

We were taught that Man shall live by all the words of God (Matt 4:4).  We are also taught this, and we must as a body hold fast to these principles:

Psa 64:9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

Psa 67:7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

The rest of the dead that must die within us alongside the Babylonian world forsakes this truth and the very means all men must traverse to receive this great reward.

Men with the spirit of this world are going astray hunting for ‘godly’ rewards now, but denying and forsaking the sequence of events which are the first works that need to be accomplished before any man can receive the prize.

The first works must be fulfilled by all labourers the Lord gathers, mainly keeping all the saying of the prophecy of the Scripture. All “jots and tittles” of the word of God must be fulfilled in us.

That’s the first love, that’s the first work.

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; [..to obtain the prize/rewards…] or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

By forsaking this first works, many goes astray in pursuit of honor, praises of men, worldly glory, falling into many foolish lusts and hurts.  They earn themselves the wages of unrighteousness, perdition/spiritual death.

2Pe 2:15  Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Many pursue these wages using carnal devices such as overt flattery in speeches. We should overcome this attention seeking spirit within us that leads us to do our alms publicly being deceived into thinking there will be greater rewards from God.

Psa 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

The greed for carnal reward has been the downfall of many.

Pro 28:22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Many relish the prospect of ruling the nations of this world, but at the same time forgetting that we must first rule the nations within us.

Pro 16:32  (NKJV) He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Pro 25:28  (NKJV) Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.

These people speak evil of things they know not, including the death of our old man through the lake of fire, so they offer an offering that is not acceptable to God as Cain did.

Jud 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for [fleshly] reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. [= the rebellion of Korah]

Those running greedily for rewards are also the first to point fingers at others for rebelling against Christ. They look down on the Gentiles thinking they will receive a better reward than them and the lake of fire is only for those more evil people out there.  They have the same spirit as Naomi’s kinsman who refused to marry Ruth, “lest I mar mine own inheritance”.

Rth 4:6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it.

They forget how much mercy has been given to them so they need to be reminded to not rebuke Ruth as she gleans in the harvest.

Rth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to  the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall  find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

We must not think too highly of ourselves, forgetting that we “in times past have not believed God”.  We have obtained mercy that “through [our] mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

God’s mercy upon all is signified by the law to leave something in the harvest for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

Deu 24:19  When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

Deu 24:20  When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

Deu 24:21  When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

We are all strangers, alienated from God from the start so we have nothing to boast about.

1Pe 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

We are all fatherless to begin with, fornicating with the carnal desires of our flesh and that harlot Babylon.

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We are all spiritual widows at first, as we do not have Christ as our husband.

We are all slaves of Egypt to begin with, slaves of our flesh who needed deliverance from the body of this death.

Deu 24:22  And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

We that are working in the Lord’s vineyard must continue to die to death, die to our flesh knowing the reward is only attained “through much tribulation” of Christ in us.

Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. [=“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father”.]

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

The reward of God and Christ is only obtained by going through the day of wrath, the day of judgment, not self-seeking of the flesh.   Rather than glorying in our spiritual riches and boasting, we are better, we are admonished to be not highminded but fear.

The reward comes only after when thy wrath is come (Rev 11:18). This is witnessed again by the self-same spirit in Apostle Paul:

Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

[=the Reward..]

Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,    

Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

This righteous judgment of God building up to the reward is signified as “a great white throne” judgment.  As we will see shortly, it is the only judgment that makes one “white”, that is, imputes on every man a certain reward.

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Being killed by the Sword, cast into the fire, great tribulation (burning away of the flesh) does not separate any soul of man from God.  It is rather the path to God, towards the full reward.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

It the same “flaming sword” all men must go thru to find life.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Comparing the two harvest groups (Of the Jew first, then the Gentiles)

Both the second harvest group and the third group all once walked according to their flesh and were all children of wrath. Knowing Christ is the first step in truly understanding that we are not better than anyone in this flesh.

Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:   

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation (behavior) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.[…with the firstfruit, kind of first fruits and the third harvest of men.]

1. Comparing the tribulations of the two groups:

Christ casting us into a great tribulation, and killing the children of the harlot Jezebel, (another symbol of Babylon) is the necessary destruction of death, the carnal mind, “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”.  This is fulfilled to the Jews first, then the Gentiles.

The casting of death and Hades, Devil, the beast, the false prophet and all the sins of whole world, some listed as below, is that great tribulation spoken of from the foundation of the world.

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Mat 24:34  Truly I say to you, This generation shall not pass until all these things are fulfilled.

To the second harvest group (Jews) first:

Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have [great] tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

This is that great tribulation:

Rev 21:8 But […they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: …these are..] the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The great tribulation is when Christ cast us into the lake of fire within, being the children of Babylon to begin with, hearkening unto false doctrines and walking after the flesh.

This all comes before the reward.

Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, [=Babylon] which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with [the second] death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. [=the Reward]

We are all concluded in unbelief to begin with.  It is only “liars” that will deny being first the children of “that woman Jezebel”, that is, one and the same spiritual Babylon.

Let no man seduce you in false humility and false spirituality that Jesus Christ will not kill Jezebel’s children- (our carnal old man)- with death.

It is and will be a theft of your rewards by smooth words.   It is our enemy who will lead us astray and have us believe we can enter in without dying to death which is the second death.

Joh 10:1  “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  

This great tribulation is the same tribulation those in the third harvest will be put through by Christ’s anointed in the age to come. The great tribulation has a sole purpose: to destroy all carnal nature. This must take place the same manner as us before they partake of any promises in Christ.

In an inward application, that which shortly comes to pass within us, the great multitude signifies the rest of the dead within us.

This is the harvest of the third group in an outward fulfillment in the age to come:

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands…

Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

There is the key to the secret of rewards.

It is the great tribulation that comes upon the earth that will wash away all unrighteousness within, making everyone clean and white.

The great tribulation the second and third harvest group are cast into is not without an end. (Eternal torment doctrine of Babylon, a resurrection of damnation to only the third harvest of men are a lie of the same evil spirit.)

 All will come out of the great tribulation.

It is after coming out that the rewards will be presented.  There are many more deeper events and lessons being taught during this great tribulation that will hopefully be visited in another study.

Here is their rewards after coming out of the great tribulation signified:

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, [..after first being killed with hunger -Rev 6:8] neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. [..of Rev 16:8-9 when they were once unrepentant, as we were. Why no more..?]

Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, [= the same feed as all, from the tree of life] and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

2. Comparing the garment of the groups: (A type of reward)

Those in the third harvest, (at the feast of tabernacles), will be made just as white as those overcomers in the second harvest when they come out of their great tribulation and overcome death through the second death.

They will all be made worthy wearing the same garment as the first overcomer, Christ Jesus, and the second group of overcomers [the very Elect] who went through the great tribulation in their earthen vessel.

Christ the first:

Dan 7:9  I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Mar 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

Mar 9;3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

2nd harvest group:

Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Third harvest group (rest of the men in Adam)

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

All the white linen, white robes and garments is signifying:

Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.

It simply means the reward of coming out of the great tribulation, enduring to the end of the fiery trial to destroy all flesh, enduring the lake of fire to destroy death and Hades is the imputation of righteousness on all men that partakes of the one consuming Fire of God.

That is how one becomes a saint of Christ, an overcomer, joined to Christ. There is no other Way under heaven.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

We must always bear in mind the principle of ‘hard work’ first in the vineyard, bearing the heat and burden of the day, then “the wages” of penny a day from the good man of the house.

The reward is also signified with the washing, which is one and the same as the baptism of fire.

The third harvests are also washed in the blood of the lamb, cleansing them of all sins even as the elects of the second harvest are washed in the same manner.

1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

3rd harvest group:

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These [=the great multitude, the rest of the dead/men..] are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

To be freed from sin is to be free from the wretchedness of this body of death.  Knowing the truth sets us free and all men shall come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  

Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.  

Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.  

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.[…and thus will be freed from sin, Joh 8:32]

3. Comparing the CROWN of the groups: (A type of reward)

Those who look on outward things and fulfillment cannot see the Sum of the spirit behind the letters, and therefore are hardened to separate the Gentiles from partaking of the promises in Christ.

The crown, just like the white garment, is not exclusive to the elects of the second harvest.   When we understand what crown signifies, then the mystery of God will be finished, and we are given spiritual eyes to see it in the third harvest of men at the end too.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it […all the rewards..] by his angel unto his servant John:

Here is what the crown signifies:

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:[=Crown of glory]

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect [=with Crowns of glory/righteousness/life..] in Christ Jesus:

Putting on a crown like a King (the Lord is King of kings) is the glory of God resting on your head.

That is an exceedingly great reward!

1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: [=CROWN] on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

1Pe 5:4 (And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, [= a great reward] which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

[=will be all men in the end, Rev 1:7]

James 1:12 (Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, [..by FIRE..] he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 

Christ is the crown of life.  We receive such an honour, such a reward by first partaking of his Fire.

Isa 66:15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

It is the same one and only fire throughout Scripture the Lord will judge all men.  Let no man seduce you otherwise, regardless of what symbols the apostles and prophets are using, it is the same fire He will be using.

Isa 66:16 (BBE) For with fire and sword will the Lord come, judging all the earth, and his sword will be on all flesh: and great numbers will be put to death by him.

Christ heading all (the Crown) and giving Life to all takes place after His rebuke, anger and fury on all flesh.

He will be giving LIFE to all that passes through the fire, that is, the whole world.

Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth […the crown of..] Life unto the world.

Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, [=the spirit of glory and of God – verse 63] which I will give for the life of the world. 

Christ repeats himself many many times not in vain, but that we may truly understand that His Father’s love to give Life, the greatest reward one can give to another, extends to all men.  It is special getting it first, and will just be as special to “these last” He will be giving it to!

Luk 3:5  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

Luk 3:6  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

So contrary to the doctrine of men, both groups of the harvest will receive the same reward of Christ when all is said and done.  Our murmurings against the good man of the house is futile.

Mat 20:14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 

Mat 20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?

Let us quit looking at our neighbors comparing the works God is doing in them to His work in us, and some have strayed thereby greedily running after rewards.  We must continue to pluck out that evil eye and casting it into the age-lasting fire. Murmuring and filling our mouths with arguments is pointless and vain.

Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

4. Comparing the CRY OF SALVATION of the groups:(A type of rejoicing after being given the reward)

Keeping our tradition intact, that is, the principles of Christ:

To the Jews first (second harvest group)

Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Rom 8:15 (CLV) For you did not get slavery’s spirit to fear again, but you got the spirit of sonship, in which we are crying, “Abba, Father!”

The same spirit whereby we cry Abba, Father….will be sent to the rest of the Gentiles when they are redeemed from the Law of sin and death in their members in due time.

Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we [=FIRST] might receive the adoption of sons.

This is another symbolism of the great reward the Father is bestowing and will bestow in fullness upon us.

Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, CRYING, Abba, Father.

The Gentiles (the rest of men) will cry Abba, Father too in due time:

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, [=Abba, Father..] and unto the Lamb.

5. the Service to God of the groups:  (A type of honour to serve the King, a reward)

All shall serve Christ in God in His temple, even as with the elect in this age. The stumbling block for many following Christ after the flesh is they are deluded thinking this life, this age in the flesh, is all there is to serve and worship God!

Because of the symbolism of the Body of Christ and the functions of varying parts, one can then falsely conclude you can only serve God in this life. That erroneous thinking completely ignores God’s plans in the age to come.

The hope of being a servant of Christ does not end at the last pulse or heartbeat of our mortal bodies.

1Cor 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

God’s elects are Christ’s servant now:

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. 

When the rest of men are redeemed from their earth, free from sin, they also shall become servants to God… bringing fruit of righteousness by Jesus Christ, fruit of holiness having been gathered into the Lord’s barn, the First Resurrection.

God’s elect of this age are being made free first to receive the reward.

Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, […through partaking of that great fiery tribulation, the lake of fire…] ye became the servants of righteousness.

Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Rom 6:22 (But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

When the third harvest group are made free from sin, when they come out of the great fiery tribulation at the great white throne judgment, then…

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

Psa 72:11 (NKJV)  Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him.

Zep 3:9 (NKJV)  “For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord.

6. Comparing the feeding/supper of the groups: (A type of honour to be fed of the Lord, a reward)

God’s elects in this life:

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Pro 11:30 (NKJV)  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

The Gentiles later:

Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, [=of the tree of life] and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the  beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the  fountain of the water of life freely. 

 Isa 25:6 (Brenton)  And the Lord of hosts shall make a feast for all the nations: on this mount they shall drink gladness, they shall drink wine:

 7. The reward to be in the presence of the King of Kings- to be before His throne.

To the Jews first, God’s Elect in this age:

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 4:10 (NKJV)  the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

Only the overcomer will be before the throne of God. This signifying that the third harvest group will also be granted that reward in due time.

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and SERVE him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. [=a great reward to dwell with the King]   

Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

And collectively all men of the harvests [the Gentiles] will be before the throne:

Rev 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

Rev 5:12  [Second Harvest] SAYING with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Rev 5: 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I [Third Harvest] SAYING, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

 8. The reward to be in the presence of the King of Kings- to worship day and night at His feet.

Starting with those that are “a kind of first fruits”:

Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Psa 5:7 (NKJV)  But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

And the final harvest group:

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

Psa 86:9 (NKJV)  All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall glorify Your name.

Worshipping the Lord day and night is contrasted with the torment of the burning away of the unclean spirit of old man in the presence of the lamb:

Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

This torment is the same as the torment in the flesh of the men of the second harvest and the third in their great tribulation:

Rev 20:10 (CLV)  And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons.”

Our old man, the sinner and the ungodly within our hearts, are reserved under judgment / kept in store first (this is the resurrection of damnation) for a symbolic 1000yrs.

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, […reserved for a signified thousand years before any rewards..]  reserved unto fire against the day of judgment [=Great white throne judgment..] and perdition of ungodly men.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; [=signified 1000 years fulfilled..] in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Our attitude in this life should is to be looking for and hasting unto the great white throne judgment within us, (Rev 20:11…) looking for that lake of fire (a few verses later Rev 20:14-15) to burn, dissolve, melt away all unrighteousness to eventually get that full reward:

2Pe 3:12 LOOKING for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

It is through that great fiery trial at the great white throne judgment we will attain unto the great gift to all, the righteousness of God:

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

We no longer look for carnal rewards as some men still do …

Isa 45:13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.

Luk 17:10 (NKJV)  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ “

We are and will be looking for our full spiritual rewards.

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The great celebration together:

Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Because all will be in Christ, and Christ is in God, and therefore God will be all in all.

Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Rev 21:22  And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb [..Christ is all, and in all.] are the temple of it.

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, […second and third harvest of men] and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Rev 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Rev 21:5 (NKJV)  Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

This is the greatest celebration at the end of the feast of tabernacles:

1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Col 3:11 (CLV)  wherein there is no Greek and Jew, Circumcision and Uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, freeman, but all and in all is Christ.”

Psa 66:3 (NKJV)  Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.

Psa 66:4 (NKJV)  All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah

The mystery of rewards revealed.

There is only one reward in Scripture for all that will partake of the consuming fire of God.

The work/labour in the vineyard will be the same work all men will be given to do at the end, the burning away of all sins and iniquity, which is “the burden and heat of the day.”

That is what will make every man equal unto the next when all is said and done.

All will go through the same great tribulation.  All will partake of the sufferings of Christ through the lake of fire, symbolically one and the same as the Cross, to destroy all flesh.

Mat 20:12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

Working “one hour” is a parable of the kingdom of God, therefore all to be fulfilled within us.

It is in “one hour” Judgment will also come upon “these last” as it is coming upon the elect in this age. As is our guiding principles, it is by keeping of the judgment of God we get to the great reward.

Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

It is in “one hour” these last will also go through their fiery trials of the lake of fire (the Cross/seven last plagues/killed by the Sword)

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns […as Kings..] which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, [..within all men..] that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Because in “one hour” the judgment we first went through is wrought on “these last”…. they themselves will then have the right to be equal unto us in that day.

To receive the same reward:

Rom 3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? [=workers of the first hour..] is he not also of the Gentiles? [=workers of the last hour..]?

Yes, of the Gentiles also:

Rom 3:29 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Mat 20:13 (NKJV)  But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius [penny]?

Mat 20:14 (NKJV)  Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

That one penny is the gift of Life to all. The spirit of Life. The spirit of righteousness.

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

The exceeding great reward is the imputation of righteousness unto all that will be Abraham’s seed, that is, in Christ Jesus.

Rom 4:9 (Cometh this blessedness […”blessed and holy first resurrection” to LIFE- Rev 20:6 ..] then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?  for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness……

Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Keeping to our guiding principles, the reward is for one man within us, the New Man who runs the race, does all the work as an Ox, Jesus Christ.

Col 1:29 (Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Heb 13:20  Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,  Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Phi2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Therefore, as He is the one working in the “kind of firstfruits of His creatures”, (James 1:18) bringing us into that higher spiritual place where the Father dwells and also the one that will be working in the last harvest of His creatures, it means that ultimate prize/reward is not received of the will of the flesh and blood, but only one will receive that prize in us:

1Co 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.   

1Co 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

Our reward is not filthy lucre, as some ungodly men of the world turn the gospel of Christ into personal pursuits of financial freedom rather than freedom from sin.   The desire of the sons of Zebedee to be exalted and rule over men in any form was rebuked sharply by the Lord as that is not what serving the Lord entails.  Our reward is to rule in Spirit, principally within us.  That ruling is to be done by the ministration of the Word to those prepared to hear it.  Doctrines that have the Lord’s people getting a special reward and lording over men in the outward or physical realm originate from the carnal lusts of men

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Being given dominion over men is not and has never been the plan of God.

Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

2Co 1:24  Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

The outward Millennium Reign doctrine that many of us have learned in times past is not true as taught and it has many giant problems in harmonizing with the sum of the word.  Discussions and updates on the Millennium in the plan of God and its subtending topics will come as the Lord gives the increase to His flock.  Our focus should remain on the trials in front of us during the day in which we now abide, striving to be obedient in all of our behavior.  We will never deny the role of God’s people to bring forth judgment and thereby be used to save all men.  We ourselves were shown the revelation of Christ the same way [Rev 19:10, Rev 22:8-9] and will in due time pass it on to all the Gentiles to make them into Jews.

Isa 42:1  Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he [Christ via the Christ] shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel [Elect now, all men in due time as all Israel and all men shall be saved in the three harvests].

Getting blessed first does not make our reward any greater than any other man including all the Gentiles.

Holding fast to our principles, there is no spiritual rewards for the wicked workings of the flesh of the ‘old man’ in us, now or later.  His portion is in those things passing away, those things he does to be seen of men for personal glory that will ultimately be destroyed.  We must henceforth pay very close attention to that corrupt nature and cease from such ungodly acts.  The old man shall be put out at the end.

Mat 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 

Pro 24:20 F or there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

By the foolishness of preaching, we are admonished to run lawfully to obtain that prize, understanding that it is the workings of the spirit of the Lord in us, labouring and dividing severally as He wills.

1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that ONE and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but ONE receiveth the prize? [Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.] So run, that ye may obtain.

Let no man seduce or beguile us with the false doctrine of salvation by workings of the law, or doing many wonderful works of the strength of the flesh for rewards of God. We are warned there are many who will craftily beguile us of our full reward through fleshly acts:

Col 2:18 (Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Christ is the one ruling/working in us..we are His handiwork unto the New Man, and He will finish the work He has begun to give to everyman their reward:

Isa 40:10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

The secret of the doctrine of rewards hidden for ages and generations, even until this hour very few have fully comprehended this mystery is:

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but NOW is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

The mystery is revealed, but only the true saints can comprehend the enormity of this truth.

Christ is our FULL REWARD.

That reward is not exclusive to a select group of men in Adam when all is said and done.  God will make known of this great reward set for the Gentiles too at their appointed time.  As they will also suffer greatly in that tribulation, they also will come out and partake of the consolation, the reward.

2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

No matter how much murmurings we hear against the good man of the house, He has declared the end purpose of His works, it is settled in heaven from the beginning.

Every man in due time (through death of “death”) will be presented before His throne PERFECT in Christ Jesus- the greatest love, reward God will give to His creation.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

To this day, this remains the greatest secret to Man.  Many can read it, but few more than we first thought can truly comprehend the greatness of Jesus Christ in God.

And when one is given the flaming eyes to read and comprehend even just some of this love, this reward, then “blessed are your eyes”..:

Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men […of the generation that is rewarding this..]  have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

The second witness from the apostle inspired to write the heavily signified book of Revelation that has been a great stumbling block to many, been used to blind and made shipwreck of the faith of many reveals to us this secret:

Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. [Christ working all after the counsel of His own will– Ephesians 1:11]

What is that reward again that we should be looking forward to apostle John?

2Jo 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

2Jo 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Conclusion

Being given the spirit of Christ, the love of God is the greatest reward any man can be granted.

We have seen that the reward is not just handed out without laboring in His vineyard, bearing the heat and burden of the day.

We have seen that the faithful elect of this age, who are first to partake of the sufferings of Christ by the death of their flesh, are the first who will partake of the consolation, that is, the reward of Christ in them.

2Co 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

It is through the faithful elect that others will receive this same reward they themselves first received of Christ. Let no man seduce you of your rewards and rob/defraud the rewards of your neighbours in Adam that will partake of the sufferings of Christ later. We are commanded to love our neighbours too and protect them.

Lev 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Lev 19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.

It is still a secret, as witnessed amongst us, that the Gentiles who will partake of the lake of fire in the age to come, will also be partakers of the promises of Christ also.

This is the gospel and the good news of Jesus Christ. We will rejoice with the Gentiles when God is all in all!

Rom 15:10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

Rom 15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

Rom 15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

This is the good news that we preach.

Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Fellow heirs as they also will be fellow sufferers with Christ in the great tribulation / seven last plagues / the Cross / the lake of fire, which is the second death.

As we preach the acceptable year of the Lord which is composed of the three harvests, we must expect the persecutions from those who think the full reward of God will only be bestowed upon them.

Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Luk 4:22  And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?  [Knowing Christ after the flesh]

This day is this scripture [preaching the acceptable year of the Lord] fulfilled in your ears, convicting the self-righteous Jews by preaching the healing and feeding of Gentiles!

Luk 4:23  And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

Luk 4:24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

Luk 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

Luk 4:26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

Luk 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

How did these self-righteous Jews who expected that they only will receive God’s rewards?

Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

If our Lord was persecuted for preaching the gospel of peace for all His creation, do we expect anything different from this world?

These are all central to the gospel of Christ, no jots or tittles to be omitted. It is the means of glorification for all men.

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

This is the spirit of true fellowship with Christ, and we are thankful He is opening our understanding to comprehend this mystery.

As this study has proven, all men come through the same process and get the same great reward. All men, even those in the third and final harvest group, will be joint heirs with the Elect [spiritual Jews] and partake of the same reward and same salvation.  In Christ we are all being made one, by the same process, getting the same rewards by living the one event to all (Ecc 9:2).  There is no difference beyond the order and sequence the Lord alone has established.

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

 Eph 3:6  that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

 Salvation, which is the reward, is common to all men (Jud 1:6) as they are brought through the same veil and process of judgment we have gone through and continue to endure to this day.  In the same way, those who walked before us have been used to show us truth and reveal Christ in us, so too will that spread to all men.  Those saved in this age will be used to save others and bring them into the fellowship of this great mystery with us.

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

 We should beware of doctrines and men who preach and teach contrary to the one process and one reward that the Scriptures reveal.  We have many such warnings of being puffed up with knowledge and thinking we are better than others not knowing what we know.  But all such thinking is of the flesh and is not of faith and will lead us to desire to lord over men rather than serve men and follow the example the Lord laid out in how we ministered.

1Co 4:7  For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

  The outward application of Ephesians 2 is a powerful testimony of God’s plan for the ages through His Son Jesus Christ and His Christ.  Let’s read this again as final confirmation how all men will move from being a Gentile in the flesh to being a true Jew being circumcised by the Lord which is making them fellow heirs and citizens of the household of faith.

Eph 2:11 (NKJV)  Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh— who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—

Eph 2:12 (NKJV)  that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Eph 2:13 (NKJV)  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Eph 2:14 (NKJV)  For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

Eph 2:15 (NKJV)  having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

Eph 2:16 (NKJV)  and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Eph 2:17 (NKJV)  And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

Eph 2:18 (NKJV)  For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Eph 2:19 (NKJV)  Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

While our focus is to be on the household of God in this age.  We must not look down upon others that have not the gift of faith, remembering that all men and all Israel (which is all men) will come into the House via the three harvests.  We are to do good to all men not just those of the household of faith, never losing sight of the Lord’s words and the example He gave for us in living out our lives in the clay.

Mat 25:34  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:

Mat 25:35  for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

Mat 25:36  I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Mat 25:37  “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

Mat 25:38  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

Mat 25:39  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

Mat 25:40  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’