[Steve Myers] What will happen to all of those who never knew Christ? That's a question that most religions cannot answer. Or when they answer it, they feel that they are lost forever. If they never knew God, they never understood what His plan is, never knew Jesus Christ, are they lost forever? You know, God has a solution to that problem and it's found in one of His festivals.

[Darris McNeely] You know, so many religions and ideas cannot answer the question that Steve just asked about the dead in the graves. But God's word does have an answer. And it's a matter of understanding what those Scriptures say. In Ezekiel 37, the famous vision of the valley of the dry bones, God makes a statement here. It applies not just to Israel, but applies really to all nations, to all peoples, to all who've ever lived. In verse 12 it says in Ezekiel 37, "Thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, O, My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves, O My people and brought you up from your graves and I will put My spirit in you and you shall live and I will place you in your own land'" (Ezekiel 37:11-14). It's one of the most comforting and encouraging Scriptures that you can begin to turn to and subjects to study within the word of God to open our minds to understand that God will ultimately offer an opportunity of salvation for all who've ever lived, even those who've died and never professing a belief in God, in Christ, or in His word.

[Steve Myers] It sounds incredible and it must've been on peoples' minds when Jesus Christ addressed this same issue. He said in John 5:28, "Don't marvel at this." I mean, it can sound unbelievable that the graves are going to be opened. Those that never knew God are not lost, but they're going to have an opportunity to understand the truth. Well, Christ said yes, "Don't marvel at this," He says, "For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves," not just Israel, but all that are in the graves will hear His voice. And so they'll come forth and they'll have their minds opened to the truth and have an opportunity to accept the truth of God and understand His way.

[Darris McNeely] There's one other Scripture that bears mentioning in this regard and that's Revelation 20:12 because this idea that begins in Ezekiel, Jesus Christ affirmed, is also mentioned in verse 12 of Revelation 20 in the vision that John had, which is the vision that comes directly from Jesus Christ. And it's the same idea that began back in Ezekiel. He says in verse 12, "I saw the dead small and great standing before God and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life and the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books." And so the dead small and great, the mighty and the poor, the wise and the not so wise will come out of the grave just as Ezekiel said and as Christ reaffirmed. They will come out of the grave at a future time and the books of the Bible will be opened to their understanding, and they will have the opportunity to understand why they were born and the purpose of life for the very first time and have their opportunity to be - to have their name written into the book of life.

[Steve Myers] And so that's the conclusion of God's plan for mankind that everyone will have that opportunity. And it's symbolized in the Last Great Day or the Eighth Day Festival. And so we're to keep that day and remember what God's plan is all about for mankind.

[Darris McNeely] It is one of the most encouraging truths of the Bible that God has put there and planted there and allowed us to understand. And it lifts tears. It lifts doubt. It lifts fear and concern from the hearts and the minds of any who understand that. It is a very encouraging bit of good news for any who will open their minds and have their eyes open to see what the Bible says.

[Steve Myers] That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.