There are some widely held misconceptions and popular beliefs that people have concerning the concept of a spiritual life after death of the physical body of humans. Most popular religions believe in some sort of paradise in which a departed soul from the physical body dwells forever if the physical human has “salvation”. In general most religions teach that persons must be righteous faithful or both by following some predetermined guidelines that their religious leaders have established. Most “Christian” religious groups’ belief that they must accept the sovereign son of the almighty creator they call by the general title “God” mistakenly believing that is the creator’s name, (see the YNCA article on how the creators name was changed). Christians generally believe that if they accept the sovereign Son as their personal savior and have faith that the Son will save their souls, departing from their bodies upon physical death, if they just believe in the “Son of God”, they call mistakenly call Jesus, and faithfully believe and accept the Son as their savior.
There will be a different inheritance for those people who will be part of the New Covenant and that inheritance will not be of a physical nature comprised of land or a long physical life or even good health. Those who participate in the New Covenant will not dwell on the earth and they will inherit things that physical humans cannot, for the most part comprehend. Those who inherit under the New Covenant in what the scriptures term the “first resurrection” will be a comparatively small number to the people who live, will live and have lived on the earth.
OT: 6922
qaddiysh (Aramaic) (kad-deesh’); corresponding to OT:6918. KJV – holy (One), saint.
OT:2623
HEBREW chaciyd (khaw-seed’); from OT:2616; properly, kind, i.e. (religiously) pious (a saint):
OT:6918
HEBREW qadowsh (kaw-doshe’); or qadosh (kaw-doshe’); from OT:6942; sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary:
(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:40
GREEK hagios (hag’-ee-os); from hagos (an awful thing) [compare NT:53, NT:2282]; sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):
KJV – (most) holy (one, thing), saint.
.
OT:6922
qaddiysh (Aramaic) (kad-deesh’); corresponding to OT:6918. KJV – holy (One), saint.
OT:2623
HEBREW chaciyd (khaw-seed’); from OT:2616; properly, kind, i.e. (religiously) pious (a saint):
OT:6918
HEBREW qadowsh (kaw-doshe’); or qadosh (kaw-doshe’); from OT:6942; sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a sanctuary:
(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:40
GREEK hagios (hag’-ee-os); from hagos (an awful thing) [compare NT:53, NT:2282]; sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):
KJV – (most) holy (one, thing), saint.
Many people wrongly think if they just believe in the “Son of God”, they call mistakenly call Jesus, and faithfully accept the Son as their savior their soul will go to heaven, and be with the Father creator and his only Son, immediately after their physical death occurs. Christians generally also believe they must repent of the sins they have committed during their physical lives and that they were destined to sin just by being born physically. They generally believe while they were destined to sin because they are physical beings, by repenting of their sins, being sorry they committed sins and vow to change their lives by following the example of and faith in the Messiah they will have “eternal life” in “Heaven”, the dwelling place of the Creator and his Son.
Christians also generally believe that when the “Messiah” comes to earth for the second time there will be a period of great tribulation but, that those Christian “believers” alive at this time will rise to meet their Savior in the air and escape the “Great Tribulation”. The term assigned to this occurrence by Christian groups is “the Rapture” The shocking truth is; the scriptures reveal that no human who believes what is taught in popular religious groups will die and go to heaven or paradise immediately upon their death!! See YNCA’s article “The Rapture”
Most people who read this study will not like the message they will receive, most will disagree with the conclusions and some will even be angered at the conclusions even though this study will be supported by not only definitions from scholars but also be supported by the scriptures themselves. Religious teachers, leaders and scholars will certainly not teach what this study reveals.
How has mankind come to the point that while men cannot explain the creation of the universe or life itself even when it learns more about the human body and the universe that is comprised of orderly complex laws of physics, chemistry and logical mathematic formulas that they deny creation is the product of a supremely intelligent powerful force beyond their comprehension?
At a time when scientists are learning how complex creation is and have learned enough to fire a space probe to the planets using complex mathematical and chemical formulas why do they not acknowledge there is no probability that creation was just a lucky happenstance? Humans still insist that humans are descendants of monkeys and that all species have developed from a single cell of life that just happened to begat all forms of life. Why do humans deny a supreme creator and even those who acknowledge that a supreme creator exists do not acknowledge his plans for creation and their lives?
In his scriptures the creator Yahweh has given an outline of his plan for humankind that is significantly different from the teachings of all modern popular religions. Some significant differences are: the commandments of Yahweh must be kept; these include the use of his proper name and keeping the Sabbaths. No one is “saved” by just by accepting “Jesus” as their savior. No one’s soul will go to heaven or hell immediately upon their physical death. Salvation is not for the majority of humans or even Christians now and may never be possible for many humans. The understanding of the doctrines of Firstfruits and resurrections are very important to comprehend Elohim’s plan for mankind.
What do the scriptures indicate is Elohim’s plan for mankind? There are several scriptures that describe Yahweh’s plan for humans but the apostle Paul sums the plan up best when he speaks to believers as recorded in the book of Romans chapter 8:
Rom 8:14-17
because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
NIV
Yahweh has plans for co-heirs or brothers of the Messiah Yahshua to share eternal life as spirit beings in the kingdom of Yahweh. There will be initially both a human element and a spiritual element comprising the Kingdom of Yahweh. Those Israelites who comprise the remnant saved from worldly destruction will receive the land promised their forefathers. They will enjoy a peaceful physical life as inheritors of a physical kingdom under the Old Covenant.
Those people that participate as Firstfruits under the New Covenant will enjoy membership in the family of Yahweh and will be spirit beings having eternal life and live in the heavenly abode where the throne Elohim will be present. The numbers of persons who become co-heirs with the messiah will not be large. The people who will co-inherit the heavenly kingdom of Elohim will be the Firstfruits of human kind that will be given eternal life by Elohim and they will be distinguished from most humans by their lives of obedience and faith to Elohim.
The Firstfruits, not Christians or members of any popular religious group, will meet Yahshua in the air upon his return to earth.
If the Firstfruits are to be spirit beings and co- inherit a spiritual kingdom with Yahshua it’s fair to assume that Firstfruits are important to Elohim, since they receive such a high place of honor. So then, if Yahweh has given mankind a set of instructions that people are to follow in order to have eternal life it follows to reason there must be something in those instructions about Firstfruits, who they are, why they are important and their significance in Yahweh’s plans.
Yahweh has told of his plans for men’s salvation in his scriptures, however because he has used symbols and figurative language, deliberately, most do not understand just how Yahweh has been executing his plan. The definition of a saint merely means a religious person or a person who worships; it does not mean a saint will be a first fruit or that a saint will enter the heavenly kingdom. Therefore the scriptures must be read with the understanding that a saint is not necessarily going to become a Firstfruit.
Even more poignant is the understanding that not all Firstfruits are destined for the same future. While this is difficult to comprehend Yahweh gives clues that when studied in the scriptures understanding is possible. The scriptures reveal that the Firstfruits will be with Yahshua when he returns to earth to establish the kingdom of Yahweh; these will be people who are spirit beings who obtained their position under the New Covenant with Yahshua as their Priest. However, the scriptures portray there will be first fruits that will not be under the New Covenant, but under the Old Covenant. Study the scriptures in the book of Leviticus to begin to understand this message from Yahweh.
Lev 2:11-13
11 ‘ No grain offering, which you bring to the Lord, shall be made with leaven, for you shall not offer up in smoke any leaven or any honey as an offering by fire to the Lord. 12 ‘ As an offering of first fruits you shall bring them to the Lord, but they shall not ascend for a soothing aroma on the altar. 13 ‘Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
NASU
Notice in Leviticus chapter 2 at the time of the Feast of Unleavened bread, which is to serve as a reminder that the tribes of Israel were delivered out of slavery to Egypt, A grain offering was to be made to Yahweh and his instructions were that no grain offering was to be made to Yahweh with leaven. The grain offering was an offering of first fruits and in verse 12 Yahweh instructs that no grain offering, with leaven, is to ascend to the alter before Yahweh. In verse 13 Yahweh instructs that the grain offering of first fruits shall be seasoned with salt so that the salt of the covenant shall not be lacking from the grain offering. These symbols are very important clues as to the future of the Israelites which have not been understood by leaders of popular religions.
More understanding is given in Leviticus chapter 23:
Lev 23:15-21
15 ‘ You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths. 16 ‘You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the Lord. 17 ‘You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the Lord. 18 ‘Along with the bread you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. 19 ‘You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 ‘The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the Lord; they are to be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21 ‘On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.
NASU
The grain offering that takes place at the time of the feast of unleavened bread is of barley which ripens before the grain of wheat which occurs approximately fifty days after the ripening of barley. In Leviticus chapter 23 beginning with verse 15 Yahweh instructs that after a period of fifty days from the barley grain offering there is to be an offering of the bread of the first fruits and that bread is to be made of fine flour with leaven. The leavened bread is to be offered to Yahweh with two unblemished lambs and they are to be holy before Yahweh.
There are two first fruit offerings to Yahweh in the book of Leviticus the first is a grain offering without leaven that takes place at the time of the feast of unleavened bread and that grain offering is not to ascend from the altar before Yahweh. The second first fruit offering is to take place fifty days later and is to be two loaves of fine wheat flour made with leaven, offered with two unblemished lambs. These offerings are to be holy before Yahweh.
The time of the second first fruit offering takes place at the feast of weeks or Pentecost taken from the Greek word meaning fifty. On this day in the book of Acts chapter 2 people, who were followers of the teaching of the apostles, were gathered together in one place when what appeared to be tongues of fire descended upon them and changed their behavior.
Acts 2:1-4
2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
NASU
The people were in wonderment as to what had taken place because they could understand each other even though some of them were not speaking the same language. Some who witnessed their change in behavior thought they were drunk with wine, but the apostle Peter explained to them that the death and resurrection of Yahshua had made it possible that his followers and believers could receive the gift of his holy spirit poured on them.
Acts 2:32-36
“This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. 34 “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
‘Yahweh SAID TO MY sovereign, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
35 UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”‘
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both sovereign and Messiah — this Yahshua whom you crucified.”
NASU
In verse 37 some of the people who heard Peter’s words asked him what they needed to do because they were moved to take some action based on Peter’s information they could receive the Holy Spirit made possible through the death and resurrection of Yahshua.
Acts 2:37-40
37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ” Brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Peter said to them, ” Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
Note: for the true scriptural name of the Father and the Son upon which salvation is based, read YNCA’s article “How the Creators Name was changed and why should we care”
NASU
Peter explained to these people they need to change their worldly behavior and to be baptized in the name of Yahshua the messiah for the forgiveness of their sins. Peter also explained that the Holy Spirit is a gift from Yahweh and is for as many as Elohim calls. Please note that many people have been baptized in the false name of Jesus because the name change explained in the YNCA article “How the Name of the Creator was changed”. Peter also explains in Acts chapter 4 that there is salvation in no other name than Yahshua. Each person must study to understand what the scriptures truly say in spite of the errors that exist in various versions of the bible. Yahshua has explained that the reason he speaks in parables and figurative language is so that not everyone will be saved, at least initially.
John 16:25-26
25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name.
NIV
Matt 13:10-13
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 ” For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
NASU
It is important to understand that not everyone is going to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and will not be first fruits to Yahweh. The scriptures give evidence that not even all first fruits will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and be with Yahshua when he returns to earth to establish the kingdom.. Why is this so important to understand? If a person does not take the time to understand Yahweh’s scriptures and then follow and obey his instructions that person or persons will not be in the first resurrection and will not be with Yahshua in the kingdom of Yahweh as a first fruit.
The symbolic offering of the two leavened loaves of bread made with fine flour and offered to Yahweh as holy represents those people who will be first fruits of mankind that receive salvation through the death and resurrection of Yahshua. These first fruits will be with Yahshua in the kingdom of Yahweh and will rule with him in that kingdom. They will have very significant positions as priest in the spiritual kingdom of Yahweh and there will not be very many of them when compared to the population of the world.
If the two loaves of leavened bread symbolizes those first fruits who receive the holy spirit and who will serve as priests with Yahshua in the spiritual kingdom of Yahweh; then who does the first fruit offering of grain treated with salt that shall not ascend to the altar before Yahweh represent?
Answer: the remnant of physical Israel who will be reestablished in the physical kingdom of Yahweh that will be returned to the promised physical land in what is termed today the Middle East where the tribes of Israel were led by Moses after they were released from Egypt by Yahweh. As shocking as this will be to those who come to understand the scriptures it is supported by Yahweh in his scriptures. Most descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Christians and Jews) will not be first fruits in the spiritual kingdom of Yahweh at the time of Yahshua’s return to earth. They will choose to disobey the commands in the scriptures, just as they have done for centuries, and go to their graves to await resurrection which will not be the first resurrection
Rev 20:4-6
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
NASU.
The first fruits who are symbolized in chapter 23 of Leviticus by two loaves of leavened bread are those people who are obedient to Elohim and follow the example of Yahshua, receive the holy spirit of Yahweh and serve as priests with Yahshua in the spiritual kingdom of Yahweh. They are called first fruits because they are unblemished in the eyes of Yahweh and are worthy of receiving his spirit and becoming inheritors of the spiritual kingdom with Yahshua and serving as priests in that kingdom. These people have obeyed the commands of Elohim and followed the example of Yahshua and will be redeemed from slavery to sin by the sacrifice of Yahshua so by his death they can inherit the spiritual kingdom of Yahweh.
Rev 14:1-5
14 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. 4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.
NASU
To learn more about the 144,000 read YNCAs article “Who Are the 144,000.”
There are several significant statements in Revelation chapter 14 verses 1-5 that inform readers what will take place with regard to the spiritual first fruits and their position in the family of Yahweh. The first fruits in revelation chapter 14 are blameless and have been purchased from men. They are chaste and have not been defiled with women. They have the name of the Father and Son written on their foreheads and they follow the lamb wherever he goes. They are also depicted as being with the Son at Mount Zion.
We have already covered the significance of knowing the correct and only names of the Father and Son, so it is apparent to anyone who studies the scriptures the names of the Father and Son written on the foreheads of the first fruits symbolizes that the first fruits know the correct names of the Father and Son, and use those names and not any false names or titles.
The verses describing the first fruits as those not defiled with women and purchased from men are difficult to understand unless the meaning of these words in Greek is studied. A more detailed explanation is found the YNCA study “Who are the 144,000” where it can be learned the meaning of these verses is that the 144,000 are people, not just men, who have not been soiled with false religious worship. These people, men and women, do not break the commandments, these first fruits follow the example of the Son Yahshua, who also did not break the commandments but came to fulfill the law, not to do away with the law (commandments).
Matt 5:17-19
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
NASU
Christians have been taught they do not need to keep the commandments because their sins have been forgiven by the death and acceptance of the Messiah as their savior, and they have been taught this non scriptural falsehood by their religious leaders. The words in Matthew chapter 5 verses 17-19 are the recorded words of the Son by an apostle. Religious leaders have been teaching contrary to these scriptures for centuries. The Messiah knew this would be the case and foretold those who read the scriptures what would be their fate if they followed the false doctrines of recognized religious leaders.
Matt 5:20
“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
NASU
Yahshua did not mince his words, he was direct and straight to the point: Some religious leaders are not righteous or correct in their understanding and teaching.
No one who follows their false teachings and examples will enter into the Kingdom of heaven and neither will those religious leaders.
Matt 23:13-14
13 ” But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
NASU
Yahshua tells us plainly in the scriptures, and these words are for everyone even today, that some religious leaders are hypocrites, and because of their false teachings they keep people from entering the Kingdom of heaven and the false religious teachers themselves will certainly not be able to enter the Kingdom.
In Revelation chapter 14 verse 1 it is stated the 144,000 are with the Son who is standing on Mount Zion. The location of Mount Zion is very significant to understanding the future of the spiritual first fruits symbolized by the two loafs of leavened loafs in Leviticus chapter 23. The location of Mount Zion is revealed in the scriptures but is widely misunderstood by religious teachers and leaders.
Just as there is a description in the scriptures of where the physical remnant of Israel, symbolized by the grain fruit offering in Leviticus, will live on earth after great destruction of the earth, there is also a description of where the spiritual first fruits will live when they inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Heb 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
NASU
Rev 21:1-4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
NASU
There are several clues about what will take place in the future in Revelation chapter 21 verses 1-4, but for now the understanding needed to clarify the location of Mount Zion that ties together is in verse 2 of Revelation chapter 21 and verse 22 of Hebrews chapter 12, where the scriptures declare that the dwelling place of the assembly of the first born (spiritual first fruits) is Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, that will also be the dwelling place of the living Elohim, mighty ones, both the Father and the Son.
Powerful information about the future of the first fruits is given in Hebrews 12 where it is stated that The Father, the Son, the mediator of the new covenant, a myriad of angels and the spirits of the righteous made perfect and the assembly of the first born will dwell in the New Jerusalem which is heavenly. One statement that is not made is that Mount Zion, the new heavenly Jerusalem descends to be on the surface of the earth. Furthermore while these scriptures state there will no longer be any death they do not identify the timetable in which these events take place, but there are other scriptures that do give information as to the sequence of Yahweh’s plan for men as to the order in which events take place.
The scriptures have explained that the spiritual first fruits will keep the commandments of Elohim, they will be purchased from men, will live in the heavenly Jerusalem along with the Father and Son and myriads of angels. They will become priest and will rule with Yahshua for a 1000 year period before the second resurrection takes place. It is also explained the first fruits will be spirit beings just as the Father, Son and angels are Spirit beings since humans cannot enter the heavenly Jerusalem.
1 Cor 15:50-54
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
NIV
1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 50-54 are just some of the verses Christians misunderstand in believing that they who will be alive at the return of the son will be changed into spirit beings and will rule with the Son. They overlook the part of verse 52 that states the dead will be raised imperishable and then those who are alive at the sound of the last trumpet will be changed those remaining ( first fruits) will be changed to imperishable that will be immortal. Since Christians and all other followers of false teaching do not qualify to become first fruits; they will not take part in this first resurrection nor will they be in the New Jerusalem and they will not become spiritual priests ruling with the Son, whose name they do not know.
Yahweh has presented his plan for the salvation of mankind in the scriptures. The prophet Ezekiel described in great detail where the remnant of Israel, those physical beings that survive the coming tribulation, likely a nuclear war, will live and how they will worship in the new temple that will be built in the middle of the physical kingdom of Israel on earth located where the Israelites took residence when they were released from Egypt by Yahweh. Likewise, the residence of where the first fruits, spiritual beings transformed to spirit from physical humans when Yahshua returns to earth after the tribulation, will reside. When Yahshua told in scripture he was going to prepare a place for his followers, that is what he meant but his message has not been understood.
John 14:2-4
2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
NASU
Yahshua plainly tells in scripture that in his Father’s house there are many dwelling places and that he, Yahshua, would go and prepare for his followers a place so that they may be with him when he comes again. The scriptures tell that the Father and Son will both reside in the Heavenly New Jerusalem and the scriptures also tell much about the Heavenly New Jerusalem.
Isa 4:2-6
2 In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. 3 It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy — everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. 4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, 5 then the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.
NASU
The prophet Isaiah foretells that after Yahweh has cleaned away the filth (sins) from the daughters of Zion, by judgment, he will create over the area of Mount Zion a cloud by day that will give the brightness of fire by night that will protect by shade and protect also from storms and rain. The word used to describe this protection was in English canopy. The Hebrew word is:
OT:5521
HEBREW cukkah (sook-kaw’); fem of OT:5520; a hut or lair:
KJV – booth, cottage, covert, pavilion, tabernacle, tent.
(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
The meaning of the Hebrew word cukkah that was translated canopy in some English versions of bible means a dwelling place when Strong’s word dictionary is examined for root words to cukkah is dwelling place. The King James version rendered the meaning to be Tabernacle.
The scriptures reveal the New Jerusalem will exist in the heavens above the earth and that heavenly city is where Elohim (both the Father and Son) will dwell. New Jerusalem is where also the first born (first fruits with the holy spirit) will reside and will be priest of Elohim for a 1000 year period ( Rev. 20:6) and will reign with the Son. Just as the scriptures describes in detail where the physical remnant of the twelve tribes will reside after destruction comes to earth. They also provide details on the structure of the physical temple where they will learn how to worship Elohim, in the same manner their ancestors were to worship. The scriptures describe in detail the New Jerusalem.
Rev 21:15-27
15 The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17 And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. 18 The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
NASU
The New Jerusalem which is the tabernacle Where Elohim, angels and the first fruits will reside is described as a beautiful city made from gold and other precious materials. Noteworthy is its size; the city will be 1500 miles wide, long and deep. To place the size of the New Jerusalem in perspective, it would cover an area from the Mediterranean Sea coast of Israel west into Afghanistan and from south to north from the southern border of Egypt and Saudi Arabia north to Georgia on the southern border of Russia or an area larger than the entire middle east including Iran. It will also extend above the earth 1500 miles or past the atmosphere well into space. This will be the very beautiful home of the spiritual first fruits that have been found without sin, redeemed from humans, who know and use the correct names of the Father and Son, were obedient to Elohim’s laws and had the holy spirit as physical beings and were symbolized as two loafs of leavened bread in the book of Leviticus chapter 23.
In verse 26 of Revelation 21 it is revealed that only those whose name is found in the lambs book of life will enter into the New Jerusalem and no one else. Learn more on the Lambs book of life, read YNCAs article ‘Will Your Name Be In the Book of Life”?