在耶稣从死里复活后，我们会盼望他将好人带到天堂，把其余的人送入地狱，对吗？耶稣的门徒也是这么想的。

他们也认为祂会在地球上，就在耶路撒冷建立祂的国度。但是耶稣也没有这么做。

相反，耶稣在40天中，出于各种原因，在随机的时刻、地点神秘地向门徒显现。之后，门徒望着耶稣升到云中，不知所措。

 随后，一些天使告诉他们回到城里，直等到领受圣灵。耶稣告诉他们，一旦领受了圣灵，他们就会获得智慧和能力去传道。所以，尽管困惑，害怕，疲惫，他们还是照着做了。

自耶稣升天后，我们就没有再见过祂。耶稣现在在做什么呢？祂当年在地上的时候，难道没有解决一些问题，拯救我们，或者做一些善事吗？很明显，这个世界没有变好。在这所有的谋杀、仇恨、疾病、邪恶、瘟疫之中，上帝在哪里呢？

余震

尽管看起来一切都应该在十字架上完成，但实际上救恩的工作不仅仅是耶稣的牺牲。耶稣自己也说了同样的话。 在基督被钉十字架前的最后一晚，他和门徒一起吃着著名的最后晚餐。那时，耶稣说了一些我们大多数人迟早都会听到的话（也许是在葬礼上？）：

“你们心里不要忧愁，你们信上帝，也当信我。在我父的家里有许多住处；若是没有，我就早已告诉你们了；我去原是为你们预备地方去。我若去为你们预备了地方，就必再来接你们到我那里去；我在哪里，叫你们也在那里。”（约翰福音14:1-3）

如果说这话的就是那位通过言语在顷刻间铺张宇宙苍穹的上帝。那么建造几十亿或几万亿套房屋似乎不需要2000年。但是耶稣现在并不是花时间在建造房屋。（况且，圣经提到在祂父的家里已经有许多住处）

是的 ，上帝正在为我们预备地方，这意味着祂想要我们和祂同住（启示录21:3），但天上有些东西需要准备。

是什么？

我们看到，上帝成了人的样式，因此祂可以完全理解人们的欢乐和悲伤。祂过了完美的人

生，没有违背律法。事实上，祂不仅完美地没有打破上帝的律法，还完美地成就了这律法。然后祂替人类而死，把我们的罪钉在十字架上。

当耶稣从死里复活的时候，祂花了40天的时间教导门徒和其他人所有旧约圣经里指向祂和救赎的一切（使徒行传1:3）。祂确保这小群人理解了救恩，因为祂将留给全世界爱和希望的所有信息放在他们的手中（稍后再谈这个疯狂的想法）。然后，基督去了天上，进一步地把天地联系起来。

在路西甫散播关于上帝的谎言，控告上帝是以自我为中心的政权后，宇宙中的天使和其他所有生灵对这些指控有很多疑问。尽管大部分关于上帝和祂的爱的疑惑在十字架上已经得到了解答，，但有些问题仍然存在，比如关于人类。上帝会把一批“曾经的罪人”带到天堂吗？对于天使和宇宙中其他所有生灵来说，这会是一个隐患。并非说他们不信任上帝，而是上帝想让宇宙间的疑云消散，从而让每一个生灵都可以完全赞同地屈膝跪拜。

所以他们想知道：谁该来天堂？谁不应该？天堂对于悔过的罪人来说安全吗？他们会像撒

但那样用谎言污秽天堂吗？他们中还会有人犯罪吗？自私的世人会得到一个公义的审判吗？

信任这过程

回答的问题

还有很多其他的问题需要回答。但是现在上帝能更好地回答这些问题，因为祂可以根据人们的经历来为每一个人的案件辩护。是的，你没看错。每一个曾经存在过的生命都将被审查。全宇宙所有智慧生灵的疑惑都将得到解答。审判将会从上帝的家开始。所以“案卷都展开了”（但以理书7:9, 10）

耶稣的工作一部分在地球上，一部分在天庭里。他是做这件事的完美人选，因为祂在这两个地方都能与人产生共鸣。在地球上，祂会帮助这一小群基督的追随者，告诉全世界如果他们愿意，就可以得救并与上帝同住。（马太福音24:14）在天庭，祂也会在宇宙众生灵面前审判这世界（约翰福音5:22，使徒行传10:42）并为那些可以得救进入天堂获得永生的人辩护。他们的大祭司耶稣，可以完全理解人类的每一种经历（希伯来书 2:17, 18）。祂能在公开而真实的审判中，在天堂的审判台前以最好的方式解释每个人的案件。

上帝已经知道祂将带谁到天堂。祂没有义务去向任何人证明祂的决定。但这就是上帝和我们地球上所有人的不同之处。上帝就是爱。祂想要公开自己的决定给全宇宙仔细检查以至于所有生灵都将歌颂赞美祂。“万膝必向我跪拜；万口必向我承认”，上帝就是祂所说的那样，祂说有就有。 即使是被定罪的人也会承认上帝的公义和爱。（罗马书14:9-12）

蓝图

拯救和审判工作的字面意义和象征意义在旧约《圣经》中随处可见。这项工作会分阶段进行。耶稣降生之前，该工作是基于对弥赛亚将要来临的盼望，并通过动物的牺牲来象征。直到耶稣来到世界上开始付诸实施，这一切才开始实现。

换个角度想：旧约《圣经》描绘了上帝想要建造的房子的图像和蓝图，然而新约《圣经》解释了这个蓝图，并开始真正地建造房屋。耶稣说祂来是为了成就这蓝图（马太福音5:17-20）这意味着祂来是为了解释这一切并且开始建造，但是怎么建造呢？

 这蓝图很简单，至少在某种程度上是按部就班地进行：耶稣在地上过着完美的生活，代替

人类死去，预备天家，预备一批得救的人，审判这世界，再次来临，在千禧年里回答被救者的问题，然后，毁灭罪恶。

蓝图也是很复杂的：上帝想要在全宇宙面前完全公开这蓝图，所以祂详细说明了救恩计划是如何运作的。如果你想要深入了解的话，点击这里（click here）。

上帝用来向人类传达救恩计划的主要工具是犹太圣所。上帝想要传达的信息是我爱你，我想要和你在一起。

这是上帝在整本《圣经》中向祂的创造物传达的非常明显的信息。我爱你，我想要和你在一起。因为上帝希望人们有一天能在祂家里和祂同住，祂其实是让人们按照祂天上居所的样式在地上为祂建造帐幕。摩西被告知要根据天上的样式在地上建造（出25:9）你可以在启示录第4和第5章找到对上帝天上居所的基本描述。

因为上帝想要我们和祂同住天家，祂使天家成为救恩发生的中心。在耶稣完成地上的工作后，祂回到天上，完成祂在地球上开始的工作。

当人们问道：过去2000年里，耶稣都在做什么？答案是：2000年中，耶稣已经为天堂准

备了一批人，并为他们准备好了天家。

但是上帝也在做一些其他的事。祂容许恶成熟并展示其真面目。当上帝最后毁灭罪恶时，祂想要泾渭分明。祂希望两者都以它们本来的样子出现在宇宙中，善尽其善，恶尽其恶。祂不希望邪恶再次兴起。（鸿1:7-9）

当耶稣天庭的工作结束时，到救赎的下一步会有一个过渡。耶稣将会回答祂既是全爱、全能、全知，罪恶又为何仍然存在的悖论。天地将预备赞美上帝的公义和审判。

弟兄姐妹们，我们想通过本平台分享更多国外本会优质影像资料。因为人手有限，希望招募一些志同道合的主内同工，做英文视频字幕翻译，视频字幕合成制作，视频中文配音，配音对轨制作。有意者请留言输入“义工申请”。以马内利！



LESSON 6:

Home

After Jesus rose from the dead, we would expect Him to take to heaven the good, and send the rest spiraling into hell, right? That is, certainly, what the disciples thought would happen.

They also thought He would establish His kingdom on earth, right there in Jerusalem. But Jesus didn’t do that, either.

Instead, Jesus mysteriously showed up to His disciples at random moments in random places for various reasons across 40 days. Then He ascended into the clouds while His disciples were watching, wondering what to do next.

Some angels told them to go back to the city and wait until they would receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them that, when receiving the Holy Spirit, they would preach with understanding and power. So, though confused, afraid, tired, they did as they were told.

We haven’t seen Jesus since He ascended. What is Jesus doing? Didn’t He fix things, or save us, or do something positive when He was here? This world certainly doesn’t seem fixed. Murder, hate, disease, evil, pestilence. Where is God in all this?

Aftershock

Even though it seems like everything should have been finished at the cross, there are actually more pieces in the work of salvation than just the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus Himself said as much. On the final night before Christ was crucified, He was eating with His disciples the famous last supper. At that time, Jesus said some words that most of us sooner or later have heard (perhaps at a funeral?):

“Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. 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.” (John 14:1-3)

Now, if this is the same God who created the universe by speaking the words and BAM! it existed, then it seems like it shouldn’t take 2000 years to build a few billion or trillion houses. But Jesus isn’t spending His time building houses. (Besides, the text says that there are, already, many dwelling places in His Father’s house.)

God is, yes, preparing a place for us. Meaning that He wants us to dwell with him (Revelation 21:3), but something in the heavens needs to be prepared.

What is it?

As we saw, God became human so that He could completely understand humanity’s joys and woes. He lived a perfect life, never breaking the law. In fact, not only was He perfect in not breaking God’s law—He was perfect in fulfilling it. He then died in humanity’s place, nailing our sins to the cross.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He spent 40 days teaching the disciples and others everything that the Old Testament had said about Him and salvation (Acts 1:3). He made sure that the small group understood things because He put the entire message of love and hope to the world in their hands (more on that crazy idea later). Then, Christ went to heaven to further unite heaven with earth.

After Lucifer spread lies about God and accused God of a self-centered authority, there were many questions in the minds of angels and others in the universe about these accusations. Though their questions about God and His love were answered, for the most part, at the cross, other questions lingered. Such as about humans. God was going to bring a bunch of “former sinners” to heaven? To the angels and others in the universe, this could be a potentially scary prospect. Not to say that they didn’t have faith in God, but God is seeking to leave the universe free from questions so that every knee will bow in full agreement.

So, they wondered: Who should come to heaven? Who should not? Was heaven a safe place for repentant sinners? Would they pollute heaven with lies, as Satan had done? Would evil arise in one of them? And what is the appropriate sentence for the selfish people on earth?

Trust the Process

Question Answered

There were so many other questions, too, that needed answering. But now God was better able to answer these questions because He could identify with the human experience and advocate appropriately for each human case. Yes, you read that right. Every human life that has ever existed would be reviewed. All the questions by all intelligent beings in the universe would be answered. And judgment would begin with those God planned to bring to heaven. So, the books were opened (Daniel 7:9, 10).

Jesus had work to do. One part of the job was on earth; one part was in heaven. He was the perfect person to do this because He could identify with people in both places. On earth, He was to help this small group of Christ-followers, Christians, tell the rest of the world that they could be saved and live with God if they wanted (Matthew 24:14). In heaven, He was also going to judge the world (John 5:22, Acts 10:42) in the presence of the Universe and advocate for those who would be safe to bring to heaven and live forever.  Jesus, their high priest, can perfectly understand every experience of humanity (Hebrews 2:17, 18). He best, in an open and authentic judgment, can explain each person’s case before the bar of heaven.

God already knew who He would bring to Heaven. He had no obligation to prove His decisions to anyone. But that is what makes God different from all we know on earth. God is love. He wants to open up His decisions to the scrutiny of the universe so that all will sing His praises. Every tongue will confess, and every knee will bow before a God who is who He says He is and does what He says that He will do. Even the condemned will admit God’s justice and love (Romans 14:9-12).

The Blueprint

This work of salvation and judgment was set out everywhere in the Old Testament, literally and symbolically. It would happen in stages. Leading up to Jesus, it was all based on faith in the future Messiah via the death of animals. It didn’t begin to be fulfilled until Jesus came to earth and started putting the plan into action.

Think about it this way: The Old Testament drew a picture and a blueprint of a house God wanted to build, while the New Testament explains the blueprint and starts the actual construction of the house. Jesus says that He came to fulfill the blueprint (Matthew 5:17-20)—which means that He came to explain it and begin construction. But how?

The blueprint is simple, at least on one level: Jesus would live perfectly, die in humanity’s place, prepare heaven for humans and humans for heaven, judge the world, come a second time, answer the questions of the saved during millennium, then destroy evil.

The blueprint is also intricate: God wants to be transparent before the universe, so He has provided illustrations and explanations in detail of how the plan of salvation works. If you want to go deep into the blueprint, click here.

The primary tool that God used to convey the plan of salvation to humans was with the Jewish Tabernacle. The message that God wanted to send was I love you and I want to be with you.

That is the singular message of God to His creation throughout the Bible. I love you and I want to be with you. Because God wants people to one day come live with Him in His house, He basically asked people to build Him, on earth, a version of His house in heaven. Moses was told to build the earthly one based on the heavenly pattern (Exodus 25:9). You can read a basic description of God’s heavenly home in Revelation 4 and 5.

Also, because God wants us to live in His house with Him, He made His house in heaven the central hub where salvation would take place. After Jesus did His work on earth, He went to His heavenly home to finish the work that He started on earth.

When the question is asked, “What has Jesus been doing for 2000 years?” The answer is: For 2000 years, Jesus has been preparing people for heaven, and preparing heaven for people.

But God has also been doing something else. He has been allowing time for evil to mature and to show its true colors. When God finally destroys evil, He wants the lines to be clear. He wants there to be no mistake between good and evil. He wants both to appear to the universe just as they are, good in all its goodness and evil in all its evilness. He wants there to be no desire for evil to ever rise again (Nahum 1:7-9).

When Jesus’ work in heaven is finished, there will be a transition to the next step of salvation. Jesus will answer the paradox of how He could be all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, and evil still exist. Heaven and earth will be prepared to praise God for His work of judgment and justice.