Following the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, Jesus on the eighth or last great day shouted to the crowd, “If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink”.

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37 KJV)

What was he making reference to on this last Holy day of the year? Jesus also spoke of raising someone up on the last day multiple times. Is there any significance to the fact that Jesus on the eighth and Holy day following the seven day Feast of Tabernacles spoke those words?

And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:39-40, see also John 6:44 & 6:54)

Is there some reason Jesus stressed the point of raising some up on the last day? What we all have been taught concerning salvation, in my opinion, is in error! And Lord knows what we have been taught varies greatly from one religious denomination to another.

Catholicism teaches that God’s desire is to save all, but except for those Catholics who have gone through the right sacraments, most will not be saved including those who never heard of Jesus. They make exceptions for some pagans who live right.

Most Evangelicals are taught that God is at the present time trying to save all. But many either never heard the message or did not believe or accept it dooming most of mankind to be lost.

Mormons teach that many will be saved through Baptism but exceptions are made for those who failed to accept Jesus through no fault of their own.

Most Unitarians believe God loves everyone and will save all regardless of beliefs so long as they live a good and loving life.

Those remaining Calvinists believe that the saved were predestined at the beginning of time and represent a very small minority of all humans.

Universalists teach all are loved by God and will be saved.

Of those religions that believe just a portion of mankind will be saved, almost without exception believe those missing the boat will be subject to eternal torture. One must admit that they cannot all be right and I have listed but a tiny fraction of the various beliefs concerning salvation. The reason for all of these competing beliefs stems from a variety of factors that otherwise may not have happened if they understood the reason for God’s Feasts and Holy days. Each of these Feasts and Holy days (save one) are memorials to past events but also represent future (post Moses era) events, some of which have already occurred and some yet to come. But more than that, they represent God’s plan for redemption. They, if kept as God instructed, remind us annually of a time when all who missed out or were confused and unbelieving will have a chance for salvation.

The Bible speaks of three resurrections, the first for the saints that were called and judged during their mortal lifetime, representing a mere 144,000 individuals. Another for all others, that had not committed the unforgivable sin, to another mortal lifetime. They will have a chance to accept Jesus and be judged without Satan to tempt them. This is the Great White Throne Judgement. Yet another for those deemed (by God) to be incorrigible; their fate is death in the lake of fire, not eternal torment.

Ezekiel prophesied this monumental event in the 37^th chapter when he pictured all of the dead Israelites as a bunch of dry bones being brought back to life.

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD. (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

 Those of the first resurrection will be composed of spirit, born again as spirit beings.

… Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5-6)

 The resurrection pictured in Ezekiel 37 pictures man composed of flesh and blood. This resurrection does not occur until after the millennium where Jesus rules for a thousand years.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection…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. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:4-5, 11-12)

The great white throne judgement represents the period where the vast majority of all mankind will be restored to another mortal life and for the first time will hear the truth about God. They will have a chance to choose obedience to God or death. I believe most will choose to obey God and live. God desires all to receive salvation!