Hope of the Resurrection 2

Over the past few weeks, our church family has experienced the worst part of life in this world.—Death. Dr. Davis’ uncle, Bill Burchell’s father. Others have experienced the pain of death, separation, from loved ones over the past several years as well.

God knows the pain of separation. He experienced that pain when His creation was separated from Him by the rebellion of sin.

He experienced it when His own Son was put to death on the cross.

He experiences it when His loved ones, His saints suffer and die.

Where is the hope? Where is there comfort when death comes to all?

Some say the pain passes with time. Some try to ease the pain by seeking other escapes and comfort. However, the pain of death remains. Is there any real Hope and comfort?

And what about dealing with the fear of our own death?

Hope and comfort only come from Jesus, in the form of…

Well, what Hope and comfort did Jesus give to Mary and Martha in John 11?

John 11:25 NIV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

Hope and comfort come in the Resurrection!

Resurrection, life after death is the hope for us when we are separated by death.

When Jesus raised Lazarus to life in this world, it was to show the power and glory of God. God wants us to know that there is life after death.

He also wants us to know with confidence that He is the God who gives life after death in this world. Jesus first told this to Martha, but then, He showed it was true by raising Lazarus to life again from the grave!

God has the power to do what He says, even giving new life and restoration to bodies that have died and decayed! This gives us assurance and hope in the face of death.

Today we are going to look a little more at the coming resurrections in God’s plan.

When will the resurrections take place?

My kids crack me up. Already I am getting questions about how long until Thanksgiving. Which is the first gauge for when Christmas is coming...

But, they are not unlike me. When something good is coming, don’t we long for it? Don’t we wait expectantly? When is it going to happen?

What will the resurrection be to?

Then, we want to know what it will be like. What is going to happen. What will we be getting.

These are good questions, and we want to live in expectant hope of the ressurection. So, lets look and see what the scriptures have to say.

Let’s pray.

Job 19 Resurrection

The first reference to resurrection that we have in the Old Testament is in Job. Job chapter 19.

Job likely lived either during the lifetime of Abraham, or the lifetime of Joseph. We are not sure when, but we know it was in the time period before there was a nation of Israel.

Job 19:25–27 NIV

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Now as we go through the resurrections, we want to ask the questions:

Who is being resurrected?

What nature of resurrection: Is this physical or spiritual resurrection?

When is this resurrection?

What is the outcome of the resurrection?

Job is a good example of a man who simply loved and obeyed God.

Let’s call this:

Pre-Christ Saints Resurrection

Nature of Resurrection: Physical

When: When Christ takes stand on the Earth

Outcome: Life

Job knew that death comes to all men. But Job had confidence that there was going to be a future resurrection, and it would be a physical resurrection. He would see his Redeemer with his own eyes long after his flesh had returned to dust. So the Nature is a Physical Resurrection.

Notice when it takes place: When the Redeemer takes His stand on the earth. According to other scriptures we have looked at in the past, will be after the tribulation, the great wrath of God being poured out on the world.

The outcome is that Job will be raised to life. Notice He is expecting and looking forward to his resurrection, and being with his savior. This is definitely to life, and not to condemnation.

The next reference we will look at is Daniel 12.

Daniel 12:1–2 NIV

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Pay attention to the details so we can answer the questions,

Physical, or spiritual, who, when, and what outcome.

Daniel 12 Resurrections

First, who is being resurrected? Who are the people referred to in this passage? Daniel’s people — i.e. The nation of Israel.

Israel’s Resurrections.

Did you notice there are two resurrections mentioned here?

Look again at Daniel 12:2.

Daniel 12:2 NASB95

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Notice there is are many who will be raised to life, and the rest to everlasting contempt.

I am using the NASB here because I feel this translation gives the best sense of the original in the English.

First, in this verse God speaks of many, not all, rising. Those that rise will rise to everlasting life.

Then it speaks of others rising. Or, as some Hebrew scholars translate it, “the rest, who did not rise.” Who are they? The ones that were not a part of that many that rise first to everlasting life. Those will rise at another time to everlasting contempt. Early Jewish rabbis also saw this in the grammar and talked about it in their teachings.

Unfortunately, some people use this passage to teach one universal resurrection, in which some rise to life, and others to condemnation. However, that is not what this passage says in the original grammar. It is speaking of two resurrections, separated by some period of time, with two different results. Later in Revelation, God explicates the period of time in Revelation 20.

Revelation 20:4–5 NIV

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.

Revelation gives more detail about these two resurrections. Notice the two resurrections have the same outcomes. One is to life, and the second is to condemnation.

This first resurrection is a resurrection of righteous persons, righteous because of their faith in Jesus, to live and reign with Jesus.

The second resurrection, which will be 1000 years later, is to condemnation and death.

Jesus spoke of these two resurrections in John 5 as well.

John 5:29 NIV

and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

Jesus speaks of the same two types of resurrections to His disciples.

Those who do good, and Jesus later explains the good that is needed is to have faith, they rise to life. Those who do evil, rise to be condemned.

From Daniel, to John, to Revelation, it is all the same. The righteous are a part of the first resurrection, and the outcome is eternal life. The evil are part of the second resurrection, with the outcome of eternal condemnation.

So, in your notes, you can write out the two types of resurrections, or the two outcomes:

Two Types of Resurrections

Resurrection to Life

Resurrection to Condemnation

This will be important as we look at resurrections through the Bible.

So, back to Daniel 12. Let’s fill in the details using our questions. There are two resurrections, so let’s consider the first one. Let’s call it:

Righteous Israel’s Resurrection

Nature of Resurrection: Physical

When: After the tribulation

What outcome: Life

The second resurrection here would be,

Unighteous Israel’s Resurrection

Nature of Resurrection: Physical

When: 1000 Years After Righteous Israel’s Resurrection

What outcome: Life

This group will be those of Israel who did not have faith in the Lord. They will not rise to eternal life. Rather, they will rise to be condemned.

Now we are going to go to the New Testament to fill out what we know about what is revealed about another resurrection.

We are going to jump to 1 Thessalonians 4. We looked at this passage when we were considering the Rapture of the Church.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NIV

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Who is a part of this resurrection? Who is Paul writing to?

1 Thessalonians 4 Resurrection

The church. Those who have received Christ, and have been baptized into Christ through the Holy Spirit. Ephesians tells us that that is the very definition of the church. The church began in Acts 2, after Jesus ascended to Heaven, and sent the Spirit to baptize and indwell those who believe in Jesus. This is the major distinction between those who died in faith before Jesus died and rise again, and those who died in faith since that time—the baptism and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

This is the Church’s Resurrection.

When we spoke about this a few weeks ago, we talked about how this takes place before the Day of the Lord. This is prior to the wrath of God being poured out, which according to 1 Thessalonians 5:9 and other verses, the Church is not destined to face.

This coming of Jesus is not to earth, but rather in the air.

Church’s Resurrection

Nature: Physical

When: The Rapture

What Outcome: Life

Notice, this timing is different than that of the Old Testament Saint, and the Righteous of Israel.

Now, one more passage:

Revelation 20:4–5 NIV

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.

This passage speaks specifically of when Jesus has returned to Earth to establish His kingdom.

Revelation 20:4 Resurrection

Who is mentioned as being resurrected here?

Those who died during the tribulation.

Notice there are already some sitting on thrones who had been given authority to judge before this resurrection. Who might that be? The Church.

Let’s fill in the details:

Tribulation Saints’ Resurrection

Nature: Physical

When: Jesus sets up kingdom on Earth after Tribulation

Outcome: Life

How can there be the church resurrecting before the tribulation, and then Righteous Israel, and the Tributation Saints after the tribulation? How can that be when Revelation refers to this as the first resurrection?

Well, it is the First resurrection… the first type, the Resurrection to Life.

Paul actually explains this resurrection well in 1 Corinthians 15.

Turn with me, if you will to 1 Corinthians 15:23-24.

1 Corinthians 15:23–24 NASB95

But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

I am using the NASB because this translation does the best to preserve the more literal rendering of the Greek to English.

Notice this phrase, “each in his own order.” The term here is that of a military procession, where each company goes up in order, one company at a time.

It also uses a grammatical construction of First, then, then.

This is the same as earlier in the chapter when Paul spoke about Jesus’ appearances after death.

This wording of a series is also found in 1 Corinthians 15:5-6.

1 Corinthians 15:5–6 NIV

and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

Notice that there are three in the series of appearances: first Cephas, then the Twelve, then the more than five hundred.

In the original Greek text, this passage has the exact same grammatical construction as the three in the series of the first resurrection to life in 1 Corinthians 15:23-25.

So, this passage is teaching us about the

Procession of the Resurrection to Life

Now, notice the groupings in this first resurrection, the resurrection to life:

Christ, the first fruits. First Fruits is a reference to a harvest. The very first part of the harvest is Christ. Then there will be more gleanings.

The second gleaning is those who are His at His coming in the air (same word used here as in 1 Thessalonians 4). Who is Christ’s? Who is His bride at His coming in the air? The Church.

Now the next verse,

1 Corinthians 15:24 NASB95

then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

Notice that the word ‘comes’ is italics. That means the word is not in the original Greek manuscripts. It is added to try to make for better English.

Then word ‘end’ here literally means the completion of the series. The timing is at after the coming in the air to get those that are “in Christ”. It is at the time when Christ is working to abolish all other rulers and authorities, conquering His enemies, so that He may hand the kingdom over to the Father. In otherwords, this is when Christ has come back to the Earth to reign. That is the time spoken of in Revelation 20:4. It also corresponds with Job 19, and Daniel 12.

The last part of the Resurrection to Life is the Old Testament Saints, including both those in and outside of Israel. It also includes those who were saved during the Tribulation period, both those in and outside of Israel.

To summarize, What is the procession of The first resurrection, the Resurrection to LIfe?

Christ, the first fruits

The Church (those that are His) as His coming

All other Saints at the end of the tribulation, when Christ is reigning

When we compare these scriptures, it is no wonder that they all fit together perfectly. There is no contradiction. God has always said there would be two types of resurrections.

The first type is that of the righteous rising to life. The second type is that of the unrighteous rising to condemnation.

God revealed in the Old Testament that those saints would rise after the wrath of God was poured out, and the savior took His stand on the Earth.

God revealed that the Church, the bride of Christ would not endure the wrath, but would be raised before hand to go through a judgment, and the marriage of the lamb in heaven before coming to help judge the world as spoken of by Jesus to His disciples, and reiterated by Paul in Corinthians, and later depicted in Revelation.

1 Corinthians shows God’s procession of the First Resurrection: Christ, then the Church when Jesus comes in the air, then the other saints when He returns to earth.

And what will this body be like?

Well it will be changed! It will be new! It will be immortal!

1 Corinthians 15:49–54 NIV

And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—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. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 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.”

Homework

Read about what the Old Testament taught about the future resurrection: Job 14:1-17; Job 19:25-26; Hebrews 11:17-19; Psalm 16:10; Psalm 49:15; Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 26:19. Is it spiritual or physical? When will this resurrection take place? What do Job and Isaiah say about transgressions? What does Isaiah say they will do when they awake?

There are two types of resurrection. Read about them in Daniel 12:2; Luke 14:14; John 5:29; Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 20:11-15. These passage speak of two resurrections. The first resurrection in Daniel 12:2, John 5:29, and Revelation 20:4-6 is a resurrection to what? What is the end for those in the second resurrection in Daniel 12:2, John 5:29, and Revelation 20:11-15? There are two types of resurrections, one to life, and one to condemnation. In which resurrection will you take part? How do you know?

Read 1 Corinthians 15. The Corinthians were confused because some people started teaching there is no resurrection. Paul assured them that there is a future resurrection. What was the future resurrection going to be? Spiritual or physical? Was the first resurrection to life done all at once? Reread 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23-24. Do a word study on the word ‘order’/’turn’. How is this word used, and what is the significance of Paul using it here?

Reread 1 Corinthians 15:3-5. Notice that this has the same construction of first, then, then. Now reread 1 Corinthians 15:23-25. Jesus is the first, then those who are His coming, then the end. Christ the first-fruits is simple. Jesus rose from the dead, to never die again, to be life for all who would believe in Him. He is the resurrection and the life. (Where did He say that?) “Then those who are His at His coming.” Who are the people that are Christ’s? Who is described in the Bible as “in Christ?” What verses do you find with that phrase? Who does the Bible refer to as being in Christ? Notice that the word coming is the same word use for coming in 1 Thessalonians 4, when Christ comes in the air for the church. Then, the end… tomorrow.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:24. “Then the end” (this is the literal translation of 1 Corinthians 15:24.) I believe this final phase is what is described in Revelation 20:4. This verse speaks of the Resurrection of those who were beheaded during the tribulation being raised and judged by people who are already on thrones. Who are already on the thrones? Job also spoke of being resurrected when Christ takes His stand on the Earth in Job 19:25-27. And, Daniel 12:1-2 has the tribulation for Israel before the resurrection of many to life. So, we would expect that the saints who died in faith before Christ came will be raised with those who died in faith after He took His bride, when He come with His bride to establish His kingdom on Earth. During this kingdom He will be putting down His enemies to hand all things over to the Father. 1 Corinthians 15:24-25.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:26 and Revelation 20:11-15. These pasages speak of what takes place in Daniel 12:3’s second resurrection. The resurrection of the unbelievers of all ages to be condemned and throne into the Lake of Fire with Death.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-57. What will our resurrected bodies be like? Will it be the same as this mortal body? What does mortal mean? Think of Jesus’ body. Was it physical? Read John 20:25-28. Yet, it was different in that He just appeared in the locked room! Read Revelation 21:4. How does the Spiritual Resurrection of Salvation, and the Future Physical Resurrection give you Hope?