Join us as we delve into the mysteries of heaven, exploring the profound significance of God’s prophetic holy days. In this episode, we discover how the Feast of Trumpets heralds the return of Jesus and what it means for believers. Rabbi Schneider guides us through the scriptures to unveil the nature of paradise and the eternal rewards that await those who live for Christ.
00:00:01 The Prophetic Fulfillment of God’s Fall Holy Days
00:10:52 Understanding Reward and Judgment in Heaven
It seems at first glance that we can’t find out a lot about this heaven that we’re gonna go to if we die before Jesus returns. But actually there’s a number of significant clues here that will help us to understand. We are in the midst of a series called The Prophetic Fulfillment of God’s Fall Holy Days. We’ve been covering the first of the Fall Holy Days called Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets, oftentimes referred to as Rosh Hashanah. Now I don’t have time to go back and review everything today. I really mean it. Go back and listen to these first two episodes. Tremendous foundational truth that God wants to be imparting into our lives. I’m going to just simply pick up and say this. The blowing of the shofar announces the return of Jesus. In the previous broadcast, I showed you the foundation of this and why the blowing of the shofar announces the return of Jesus. Why God appeared to Israel 3500 years ago at Mount Sinai and announced his appearance with the blowing of a shofar and why When Israel celebrates this feast every year, they’re to be reminded of the fact that God is going to appear again to the entire world when shofars are blown in every synagogue, even up to this day on the first day of the seventh month of Tishrei in God’s holy calendar. Now, I know that some of you aren’t familiar with the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Suffice it to say that God’s got a holy calendar that he outlines for us in the book of Leviticus chapter 23. And it’s for Christians. followers of Jesus, whether you’re a Gentile or a Jew. I want to move forward now. When Jesus returns, everything is going to change. And as we think about the return of Jesus, we think about how things are going to change. I don’t want to get into some of the specifics today of the timing of the millennial kingdom, et cetera, et cetera. I simply want to take the return of Jesus and use that as a launching pad to consider today, beloved ones, the reality, get it now, of heaven some of us like the thought of heaven some of us are wishing there’s a heaven i’m here today to tell the church of god and those that have not yet put their faith in yeshua that heaven is a real place. It’s not a figment of somebody’s imagination. It’s not wishful thinking. It’s not even just existing in some type of spiritual utopia, although it is. Heaven is also a place. Jesus said, I go and prepare a place for you. In the book of Revelation, we read in chapter number six, a little bit about what the present heaven that Jesus called paradise looks like. John was on the island of Patmos. He was brought up to see what today is described as paradise, the place that believers go to when they die. So I’m going to pick up now by reading Revelation chapter 6, verse 9 through 11, which tells us once again a little bit about what the present heaven or paradise looks like. Let’s read. When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? And there was given to each one of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed, even as they had been, would be completed also. It seems at first glance that we can’t find out a lot about this heaven that we’re going to go to if we die before Jesus returns. But actually, there’s a number of significant clues here that will help us to understand. First of all, to make the point that I’ve already made, we learn from this verse of scripture that I just read that those people that were alive during the Apostle John’s lifetime, that had lost their life because of their testimony in Jesus. In other words, they were boldly proclaiming Jesus and were put to death because of it. What happened to them when they died is that they didn’t just wait in the grave. They weren’t just sleeping after they died. But John tells us they went up into this heaven, this paradise, and were there waiting under the altar of God. So the first thing I want to simply have you see is that when you die, if you’re a believer in Jesus, you’re going to go to be with God. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, because he put his faith in him, today he said to him, you’ll be with me in paradise. You don’t have to be afraid of dying. When you die, if you know Jesus, you’re going to instantly go to paradise. You’re going to go to this heaven we spoke of. But I want to show you some other things that you may not have thought of. These believers that lost their lives because of their testimony, because of their witness for Jesus that went to this paradise, this first heaven, listen what happened. They retained, get it now, they retained their identity of who they were on earth. In other words, they didn’t go to heaven and suddenly their experience in heaven was totally disconnected from who they were on earth. They were in heaven, but they remembered who they were on earth. They said, how long, O Lord, will it be before you avenge our blood on those that killed us on the earth? The person that you’re going to be in heaven is connected to who you are on earth. It’s not a total disconnect. You’re going to retain your identity. Your personal history, your experience in earth will be remembered in heaven. You’re not going to all of a sudden lose your identity. It’s important to understand that. That’s why every single thing that you do on earth matters. Jesus said we’re going to see in a second that even a cup of cold water given to one of His disciples while you’re on earth means something. And so I want you to understand that. You’re not going to become someone totally different. You’re going to be transformed. You’re going to be changed. You’re going to be glorified. You’re going to be given a new body, but you’re still going to be the same person. I want you to also see that in heaven, we’re going to be able to get it now to express ourself directly to God, and he’s going to answer there. Paul said, now we know in part, but then we’ll know in full. Notice that these that were in paradise that we’re reading about in Revelation 6, they called out to God. They expressed themselves to God. They had free access to God. And God answered them. He said, he said, a little while longer, there are still others that are on earth that are going to be killed for their faith. And I need to wait until my whole plan is completed before I avenge your blood. So in heaven, we’re going to freely express ourselves to God and the Lord will directly answer us. Full disclosure, full relationship there. I want you to also understand a very precious portion of this section of Scripture that we just read. There are many martyrs in heaven, but notice here that they cried out what they loud, get this now, voice, singular. Even though there were many, they cried out, get a church, with one voice. They cried out with one voice, singular. Not with many different voices, but one voice. And what I love about this is it conveys to us the unity that we will experience in heaven. Just pause and think about this. How much pain has grieved the human heart because of disunity? But in heaven, there’s going to be complete unity, church, complete. Harmony. That alone makes heaven. I mean, there’s so much more to it, but just the fact that everyone’s going to get along. Everyone’s going to be in unity. Everyone’s going to be bonded by peace and love. It’s going to be so, so very beautiful. They also remembered their lives on earth. They thought about what happened to them there. You’re going to remember, beloved, everything on earth that was beautiful and precious. Finally, I want to point out two last points, and that is this. that there was a strong sense of justice that they had. They said, Lord, when are you going to avenge our blood on those that killed us? Now, we’re taught to turn the other cheek, to forgive those that have wronged us. But somehow in heaven, God is going to deal out retribution upon those that have not repented and turned to him. And everything, get it now, that has been wronged, is going to be made right. They said, how long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? There is a place, the Lord said, vengeance is mine, I will repay. I want you to understand, no one’s going to get away with anything. Those that have turned their life over to Jesus, their sins will be covered. Praise God for that. But those that have not repented, beloved, they will pay for every sin they’ve committed. God’s going to make every wrong right. He’s in addition to being a God of mercy, He’s a God, get it now, of justice.
SPEAKER 02 :
You’re listening to Discovering the Jewish Jesus and Rabbi Schneider will be right back. But first, here’s a testimony from a listener who’s been touched by Rabbi’s teachings.
SPEAKER 01 :
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SPEAKER 02 :
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SPEAKER 04 :
Lastly today, I want you to see, in Revelation, chapter number 6, in the 11th verse, there’s going to be a reward. And there was given to each one of them a white robe. And they were told that they should rest for a little while longer. Each one was given a white robe. There is going to be a personal reward to every single child of God given. You’re going to be rewarded. You need to understand this. Jesus said, behold, I come quickly, Revelation 22, 12. Behold, I’m coming quickly, and my reward, get that now, my reward is with me to render to every man according to what he’s done. You’re going to be rewarded. This is an important phrase. theme and concept to have in your heart. What you do for the Lord matters. You’re going to be rewarded for every sacrifice you make, for every act of love and obedience that you show the Lord. You’re going to be rewarded for it. In fact, God wants us to live righteous lives, and he motivates us by helping us to understand that we will be rewarded for the choices that we make. I want you to consider this very important concept. People that are in hell, They cannot do good. The only thing people in hell can do, get it now, is curse. Jesus described hell as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. In hell, you can’t do good. You can’t praise God. You can’t show compassion. You can’t love. There is no peace. In heaven, you can do no wrong because there’s nothing that will be able to get into heaven that can defile it. In heaven, the only thing you’ll be able to do, it’s going to be so effortless, it’s so natural, you can’t do anything else. The only thing you’ll be able to do in heaven is praise God, love, serve, all those things that are the fruit of the Spirit. That’s all that’s going to be there. You won’t even have a choice. It’s just going to be who you are. It’s going to be your nature. But right now, beloved one, listen, right now on earth, you and I, we have a choice. There’s no choice in hell, all you can do is curse. No choice in heaven, all you can do is praise and love. But here in between on earth, we have a choice. Every day we have a choice between life and death, between hate and love. Every day we’re making choices. And we’re building up for ourselves treasures in heaven, just as Jesus taught. When we choose love, when we choose him, when we choose truth, we’re building up for ourselves treasures in heaven. When moth and rust don’t destroy, where thieves don’t break in and steal. You need to understand everything that you’re doing, every thought, every word, every action, it all matters. It all counts. Jesus even said that every word spoken, we’re going to give. and account for. Matthew 16, 27, Jesus said, for the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels and will then repay every man according to his deeds. Matthew 10, 42, and whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. Now, before we move on to our final section of this message, I want to read for you a very important portion of the Word of God. I’m going to the book of 1 Corinthians 3, verse 11 through 15. Pay attention. For no man, Paul was speaking, can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, Each man’s work will become evident, for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” What the Word of God is teaching here is that salvation is a free gift of grace. That thief on the cross that was crucified next to Jesus had no good works, but he put his heart and his faith in Jesus. He sunk the teeth of faith into Jesus, and Jesus said to him, although the man had no good works, Jesus said to him, today you’ll be with me in paradise. That man was saved, but he had no good works. What this scripture is teaching that I just read is that the only foundation that saves us is faith in Jesus Christ. But once we put our faith in Him, we then have an opportunity to build in our relationship with Him. We have an opportunity to build on that foundation of our faith in Him. Some men, Paul teaches, build on their relationship with Jesus with gold and silver and precious stones. And what happens, Paul says, is that when the day of the Lord comes, there’s going to be fire and God is going to test every man’s work. And those that live lives loving Jesus, doing good, serving, doing good and loving people, making sacrifices for the sake of the kingdom, they’re going to be rewarded. Paul also teaches here that other people are going to waste their lives. They put their faith in Jesus, but they didn’t build on the foundation with anything that mattered. Paul says they built with wood and hay and straw and stubble. Paul said what’s going to happen is they’ll still be saved, but nothing’s going to go with them into heaven. Their works will be burned up because their life is going to have been revealed at the coming of Jesus’ glory with fire to be worthless. They wasted their lives. They didn’t use their talents to serve him. They didn’t use their finances to build the kingdom. Paul says, yeah, they’ll go to heaven, but they’re going to suffer loss there, Paul said. He said if any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so is through fire. Yeah, the person will be saved and in heaven, but they’re going to have suffered loss. There’s going to be something about it that’s grieving. They’ll be there, but they’ll have suffered loss and they’ll have no beautiful works that will shine like the stars forever and ever in their eternal state. So I conclude today by saying you have a choice. You have a choice. We’re going to meet Jesus. We’re going to go to this paradise if we die before He comes. If we live until His return, We’re gonna go to a place eventually, along with all believers, called the new heavens and the new earth. God tells us about it in Revelation, chapter number 21, verse 10 and 11. He says this, and he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. A new heavens and a new earth. paradise for those of us that die before Jesus comes. The new heavens and the new earth described in Revelation 21 and 22 for all believers at the end of the millennial age. Wouldn’t it be ridiculous to only lead our lives for what is here and now, the things of the world that are passing away, rather than building for the future? Jesus said, build up for yourselves treasures in the kingdom of heaven where moth and rust don’t destroy and thieves don’t break in and steal. I want to encourage you today. The Feast of Trumpets is to remind us that Jesus is coming back. Heaven is a real place. Jesus is gonna reward us and he wants to wake us up. Arise, oh sleeper, because Jesus is coming back for you. He’s gonna reward every man according to what he’s done and he’s gonna take us to heaven to shine like the stars forever and ever. It will lead our lives for him on this earth now. I want you to put your hand over your heart right now and say, Jesus is coming back for me. Father God, King Jesus, I’ll be meeting you very soon. Our faith and obedience releases the power of God in our belly. What I mean by that is we can choke the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, grieve not the Holy Spirit that was given to you. And some of us are hindering God’s working in our life because we’re not trusting Him and surrendering to Him and honoring Him with our finances. Now, I know that you’re so used to hearing preachers talk about this. But the truth is, beloved ones, it’s important what all of us do with our finances. And all of us need to be honoring our Maker with our finances. I just want to ask you today, if this is something that the Lord’s been talking to you about, And he’s been feeding you, blessing you with this ministry, with discovering the Jewish Jesus. Would you open your heart and let him speak to you if he is urging you or is witnessing to you to make an offering to him to discovering the Jewish Jesus today? Beloved, there’s always a blessing for obedience. This is Rabbi Schneider saying, I love you and shalom.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you, Rabbi. And friends, as the Lord leads you, would you please give generously? You can give online. Our website is discoveringthejewishjesus.com, or you can also give by giving us a call. Our number is 800-777-7835. And you know, today, Rabbi taught us that everything that we do, it matters. Every act of love, every sacrifice that we make for God’s kingdom matters. every dollar that we sow into spreading the gospel it’s all used to build up treasures in heaven that last for eternity you know your generosity it makes these daily programs and all of our resources possible you’re helping people discover the jewish roots of their faith and to prepare for jesus return so thank you and when you give to this ministry we want to bless you too We’ll send you Rabbi Schneider’s exclusive monthly teaching booklet. And we’ll also send you our latest newsletter that will keep you connected with our exclusive content and exciting ministry updates from all around the world. We’re heading to Nigeria here in November to preach the gospel. We’re going to be doing a live message from Israel as well. So thank you for supporting us as we preach the gospel to Israel and the world. I also want to remind you, we have a free gift for you on the Aaronic Blessing. It’s a PDF guide and MP3 audio where Rabbi takes you through each phrase of the Aaronic Blessing so you can understand how it impacts your life today. It’s free and available online at myfreegift.com forward slash peace. And now here’s Rabbi to pray that blessing over you right now.
SPEAKER 04 :
The Aaronic blessing in the book of Numbers, chapter 6, is not a blessing that comes from an impersonal being out there somewhere in the heavens. This special blessing comes from a person, Yahweh, God Almighty, our Creator and Maker. So receive God’s blessing into your life right now.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Shalom.
SPEAKER 04 :
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift you up with his countenance and the Lord give you, beloved one, his peace. God bless you and shalom.
SPEAKER 02 :
This program is produced and sponsored by Discovering the Jewish Jesus. And I’m your host, Dustin Roberts. Be sure to join us tomorrow when Rabbi Schneider explains a parallel reality. That’s coming up Thursday on Discovering the Jewish Jesus.
