DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Desert Streams Healing Ministries

LiFE—The Luke Four:Eighteen Training School

1. INTRODUCTION

We study these topics because they are relevant to all of our lives, and to the lives of those we seek to minister to. Some of the people we are ministering to may be facing imminent death personally, or with a loved one, and may be suffering physically, spiritually and emotionally from that. In light of these things, we need to have a good understanding of both death and resurrection.

3. WHY DO WE STUDY THIS TOPIC?

3.1 We study the topic of death so that we can:

a. Learn how to avoid premature death

b. Learn how to deal with spirits of death when they come against people

c. overcome any fear of death that comes through ignorance of death or misunderstandings about it

d. grow in being motivated to live our lives well in light of the inevitability of our deaths (cf. Ps. 90)

e. minister to people who are facing deathpersonally or with a loved one

f. minister to people who have caused the death of someone

g. minister to people who have witnessed the death of others

3.2 We study the topic of resurrectionso that we can grow in:

a. having within us the hope of resurrection through Jesus Christ

b. understanding how Christ’s resurrection benefits us now already, while we are still alive

c. being able to help our ministerees grow in these things as well

5. AGING AND THE AGED

5.1 God loves both the young and the old

The old are not forsaken by God.

Psalm 37:25 NASB95

I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread.

5.2 The aged should be honored

a. Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

Prov 16:31 NIV

Proverbs 16:31 NASB95

A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness.

b. The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.

Proverbs 20:29 NASB95

The glory of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is their gray hair.

c. In many societies, especially Asian, wisdom is valued and prized, and so the aged are honored.

d. In western society, people often do not think in terms of wisdom; wisdom is often not valued as much as other things (such as beauty, strength, productivity…), so the aged are often set aside and discounted.

5.3 The usual physical effects of aging

These are described in allegorical terms in Eccl. 12:1-5:

a. Life becomes less pleasurable. (vss. 1-2)

b. One’s legs become weak and tremble. (vs. 3)

c. One’s shoulders stoop. (vs. 3)

d. One’s teeth fall out. (vs. 3)

e. One’s eyesight dims. (vs. 3)

f. One’s hearing fails. (vs. 4)

g. One’s hair turns white. (vs. 5)

h. One’s sexual desire wanes. (vs. 5)

5.4 Sometimes aging is slowed down in people

Caleb said he was just as strong and vigorous to go out to battle at age 85 as he was at age 40. (Josh. 14:10-11)

6. THE LENGTH OF PEOPLE’S LIVES

6.1 A reduction of lifespan as human history progressed

a. Before the flood people lived for 100’s of years (Methuselah lived 969 years—Gen. 5:27)

b. God said people living after the Flood would live a maximum of 120 years (Gen. 6:3)

c. Moses said people’s normal lifespan is 70-80 years (Ps. 90:10)

d. In the millennium people will once again live well over a hundred years (Is. 65:20)

6.2 Godly peoplewere blessed by the LORD with long life

a. Job lived 140 years, old and full of years. (Job 42:16-17)

b. Abraham died at a good old age of 175 years. (Gen. 25:7)

c. Isaac died full of years at 180 years of age. (Gen. 35:28-29)

d. Jacob died when he was 147 years of age. (Gen. 47:28)

e. Joseph died when he was 110 years of age. (Gen. 50:26)

f. Moses died when he was 120 years old, yet his eyes were not weak nor was his strength gone. (Dt. 34:7)

g. Jehoida, the chief priest of Judah, died at the age of 130years, full of years. (2 Chron. 24:15)

6.3 Sin reduces the length of people’s lives

But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you. (Ps 55:23 NIV)

6.4 Righteousness increases the length of people’s lives (Dt. 5:16, Eph. 6:2, Ps. 91:16)

6.5 Wisdom helps people to live long lives and to have years added to their lives (Prov. 9:11)

6.6 A broken spirit (i.e. inner wounding) can cut a person’s life short

a. Job said, "My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me. (Job 17:1 NASU)

b. Rachel said to Jacob that she wanted to die, or would die, if he didn’t give her children. (Gen. 30:1)

6.7 God ordains a person’s lifespan

a. You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. (Job 14:5 NLT)

b. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Ps 139:15-16 NIV)

7. SIN BRINGS DEATH

7.1 Original sin brought death to mankind(Gen. 2:17, 3:3)

7.2 Sin brings death to people

Abimelech and his people—Gen. 20:7; the priests of Israel—Lev. 22:9;

the people of Israel—Num. 17:10, 18:22; the undisciplined person—Prov. 5:23, 15:10;

the foolish person—Prov. 10:21, Ecc. 7:17; the rebellious person—Prov. 19:16;

the wicked person—Ezek. 3:18-20, 18:21-31, 33:7-29)

7.3 People are to die for their own sins, not the sins of others

Dt. 24:16, 2 Chron. 25:4, Ezek. 18:4-20; sometimes, though, the sin of one or a few brings about the death of a number of people, as in the case of Achan—Josh. 22:20.

7.4 God put certain people to death because of their sin

Old Testament

a. Er, Judah’s son, for being wicked (Gen. 38:7)

b. Onan, Judah’s son, for being wicked (Gen. 38:8-10)

c. Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, for offering unauthorized fire before God (Lev. 10:1-2)

d. The 10 spies who brought back a bad report about entering the Promised Land (Num. 14:36-38)

e. 3000 Israelites who sinned in the Golden Calf incident (Ex. 32:28)

f. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and 250 other men (Num. 16:28-35)

g. 14,700 people from Israel who opposed Moses and Aaron (Num. 16:42-50)

h. Many Israelites died by venomous snakes after speaking against God and Moses (Num. 21:6)

i. 24,000 Israelites who engaged in sexual immorality with Moabite women and who joined in worshipping the Baal of Peor (Num. 25:1-9)

j. The Amorites who were attacking the Gibeonites (Josh. 10:11)

k. Abimelech and the people of Shechem (Jdg. 9:42-57)

l. All the male descendants of Eli the priest, including Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam. 2:30-34)

m. The people of the Philistine city of Ekron (1 Sam. 5:10-12)

n. 70 of the men from Beth Shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD (1 Sam. 6:19)

o. Nabal, because of his wicked and foolish response to David (1 Sam. 25:36-38)

p. Uzzah, for reaching out and touching the Ark of the Covenant (2 Sam. 6:6-7, 1 Chron. 13:10)

q. David and Bathsheba’s first son, because of David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:13-18)

r. 70,000 Israelites by a plague after David had the fighting men in Israel counted (2 Sam. 24:1-16)

s. King Saul, because he was unfaithful to the LORD (1 Chron. 10:13-14)

t. King Jeroboam of Israel (2 Chron. 13:20)

u. King Ahab of Israel—God sanctioned a lying spirit to entice him to his death. (2 Chron. 18)

v. King Jehoram of Judah—God gave him an incurable disease of the bowels. (2 Chron. 21:12-20)

w. Over two-thirds of the people of Judah in Ezekiel’s day (Ezek. 5:8-12, 6:11-14, 7:15-16; 11:7-13)

x. The ruler of Tyre, because of his pride (Ezek. 28:1-10)

New Testament

y. Ananias and Sapphira, for lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-10)

z. King Herod, for accepting worship from people (Acts 12:21-23)

7.5 Righteousness delivers from death. (Prov. 10:2, 11:4, 13:14, 14:27)

7.6 God gives people a choice: life and blessings, or curses and death. (Dt. 30:15-20, Jer. 21:8)

8. SINS THAT BROUGHT THE DEATH SENTENCE IN THE OT

8.1 Sins against God

a. People who went up the mountain, or touched the foot of it, while Moses was speaking with God on the top of Mount Sinai. (Ex. 19:12)

b. Anyone who desecrates the Sabbath. (Ex. 31:14-15, 35:2)

c. Anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD. (Lev. 24:16)

d. Anyone, apart from the Levites, who goes near God’s tabernacle to take it down or set it up. (Num. 1:51)

e. Anyone, apart from Aaron and his sons, who approach God’s sanctuary to serve as priests. (Num. 3:10, 38, 18:7)

f. The man who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering to the Lord. (Dt. 17:12)

g. A prophet who presumes to speak in God’s name anything He has not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods. (Dt. 18:20)

8.2 Murder

a. Anyone who schemes and strikes a man and deliberately kills him. (Ex. 21:12, 14, Lev. 24:17, Num. 35:16-21)

b. Anyone who has a bull which has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman. (Ex 21:29)

c. Anyone who attacks his father or mother. (Ex. 21:15)

d. Anyone who kidnaps another and either sells him or still has him when he is caught. (Ex. 21:16)

8.3 Sexual sins

a. An adulterer and the adulteress. (Lev. 20:10, Dt. 22:22-24)

b. A man who rapes a woman. (Dt. 22:25-26)

c. A woman who has been promiscuous. (Dt. 22:13-21)

d. A man who sleeps with his father’s wife, and the father’s wife, too. (Lev. 20:11)

e. A man who sleeps with his daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law, too. (Lev. 20:12)

f. Men who lie with each other as one would lie with a woman. (Lev. 20:13)

g. Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal. (Ex 22:19, Lev. 20:15-16)

8.4 Occult and idolatry

a. A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist. (Lev 20:27)

b. Anyone who worships other gods. (Dt. 17:1-5)

c. Any Israelite or any alien living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech. (Lev 20:2)

d. A prophet who does miraculous signs or wonders, or a person who foretells the future by dreams, who says to God’s people, “Let us follow other gods and worship them.” (Dt. 13:1-10)

8.5 Sinning against one’s parents

a. Anyone who curses his father or mother. (Ex. 21:17, Lev. 20:9)

b. A stubborn and rebellious son. (Dt. 18:18-21)

9. ISSUES RELATED TO THE DEATH SENTENCE IN THE OT

9.1 No ransom possible for these people

"'No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; he must be put to death.

(Lev 27:29 NIV, also Num. 35:31)

9.2 Witnesses were needed to put people to death

a. More than one witness must be present before putting a person to death or murder. (Num. 35:30)

b. No one shall be put to death on the witness of only one person. (Dt. 17:6)

c. The witnesses must be the first to put the person to death. (Dt. 17:7)

9.3 Cities of refuge, and the death of the high priest

People who unintentionally killed another person could flee to one of the cities of refuge. They could only leave that city after the death of the high priest. (Num. 35:6-28, Josh. 20:1-6)

9.4 Desecrating the land with death

If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. (Deut 21:22-23 NIV)

Question: How has land in our country been defiled by death?

10. GOD GIVES LIFE OR DEATH

10.1 "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. (Deut 32:39 NIV)

10.2 "The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. (1 Sam 2:6 NIV)

10.3 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. (Eccl 8:8 ESV)

11. GOD TAKES NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED

11.1 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (Ezek 18:23 NIV)

11.2 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! (Ezek 18:32 NIV)

11.3 Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?' (Ezek 33:11 NIV)

12. GOD DELIVERS FROM DEATH

12.1 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth — 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. (Ps 33:13-19 NIV)

12.2 David said, For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. (Ps 56:13 NIV, see also Ps. 116:8-9)

12.3 David said, Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. (Ps 68:20 NIV)

12.4 Solomon said, For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. 13He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. 14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. (Ps 72:12-14 NIV)

12.5 "The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, 20to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death." (Ps 102:19-20 NIV)

13. OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO DEATH AND DYING

13.1 The wicked want to kill the righteous

Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. (Ps 44:22 NIV)

13.2 The wicked are destined for the place of death, but the righteous for God’s presence

Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell. 15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. (Ps 49:14-15 ESV)

13.3 Death caused by food or water

a. Bad water caused death in Jericho during the days of Elisha, but Elisha threw salt into the well and healed the water. (2 Kings 2:19-22)

b. Some gourds from a wild vine were thrown into a pot of stew and brought death to it, but Elisha put some flour into the pot and healed the contents of the pot. (2 Kings 4:38-41)

13.4 Being raised back to life from death

a. One instance in the Old Testament—i.e. Elisha and the son of the Shunammite women (2 Kings 4).

b. There are a number of instances in the New Testament where people were brought back to life by God through the ministry of Jesus or the apostles.

13.5 Spirits of death

a. The psalmist said, The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: "O Lord, save me!" (Ps 116:3-4 NIV)

b. David said: My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. 5 Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. (Ps 55:4-5 NIV)

c. David said, "The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destructionoverwhelmed me. 6 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. 7 In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears. (2 Sam 22:5-7 NIV see also Ps. 18:4-5)

Note: As believers, we have authority over spirits of darkness, including spirits of death! We need to ask God how to exercise this authority in the various situations we may come to face.

13.6 The valley of death

a. David said: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Ps 23:4 NIV)

13.7 Blessing one’s offspring before dying

Before the patriarchs died, they gave their blessing to their offspring. (Isaac: Gen. 27:4,7,10)

13.8 People die in different conditions

One man dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease, 24 his body well nourished, his bones rich with marrow. 25 Another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good. (Job 21:23-25 NIV)

13.9 Dying in peace

a. God told Abram that he would “go to his fathers” (i.e. die) in peace. (Gen. 15:15)

b. David instructed his son, Solomon, not to let Joab die in peace. (1 Kings 2:6)

c. The LORD told King Josiah that he would die in peace because of his repentant and humble attitude towards Him. (2 Kings 22:20)

d. God told King Zedekiah that he would die in peace. (Jer. 34:5)

e. Simeon asked God to “dismiss him in peace” now that he had seen the Messiah, Jesus. (Lk. 2:29)

13.10 The death of the righteous

a. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. (Ps 116:15 ESV)

b. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. (Isa 57:2 NIV)

c. God prematurely took the life of Abijah, King Jeroboam’s young son, even though He saw good in the boy, because He was cutting off the line of Jeroboam. (1 Kings 14:1-13)

14. DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEATHS (WAYS AND MEANS)

14.1 There are different ways in which people die:

a. Old age

b. Sickness and disease

c. Accidents

d. Being killed by someone

i. Murder (see topic 407 in Course C)

ii. War (see Topic 469 in Course D)

iii. Abortion (see topic 476 in Course C)

iv. Suicide (see topic 407 in Course C)

v. Euthanasia—active, passive (someone else makes the decision and carries out the act)

vi. Assisted suicide (the individual makes the decision)

Note: the latter two are growing issues in our present world!

14.2 The manner in which a person dies can have a significant effect on a person, and also on those who are with the person who dies, or those who are related to the person who dies.

14.3 In addition to this, there are different ways that people’s bodies can be dealt with upon death:

a. Buried

b. Cremated or burned (ex. India, etc.)

c. Left out in the open (usually in cases of war, or disease, etc.)

14.4 The manner in which a person’s body is dealt with can have an effect on those who are left behind.

14.5 Some believers feel it is wrong to cremate the bodies of believers.

See https://www.gotquestions.org/cremation-Bible.html for some helpful info on this topic.

15. DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEATHS (TIMING ISSUES)

15.1 A list of some different types of physical deaths

1. Sudden and quick—no time to prepare personally or with others (i.e. a heart attack, some accidents, murder…)

2. Relatively short, alone—time to prepare personally but not with anyone else (i.e. a fatal wound that takes a few minutes or hours to end a person’s life, drowning…)

3. Relatively short, with others—but time to prepare personally and with others (i.e. a fatal wound that takes a few hours or days to end a person’s life…)

4. Long and possibly painful—a considerable amount of time to prepare personally and with others (i.e. a sickness or disease that takes weeks/months/years to end a person’s life)

15.2 Each of these the deaths can be peacefulor traumatic/violent/painful/horrible/evil

15.3 One positive thing of a type 3 or 4 death

A blessing of a type 3 or 4 death is that family members can prepare themselves also for the person’s death, and good-byes can be said and any forgiveness or reconciliation that needs to be made can be made.

When this happens, it can be much easier to obtain emotional closure in terms of the person’s departure and the loss of the person. Without this, there can be ongoing regrets, questions, blaming of self, etc. that requires God’s healing touch to get free from.

16. WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE AT PHYSICAL DEATH?

16.1 The spirits and hearts of people leave their bodies (Ps. 104:29, Eccl. 12:6-7) and go to:

a. Hades if they do not belong to God

b. Paradise (i.e. God’s presence in heaven) if they belong to God (Lk. 23:43, Jn. 11:25-26).

16.2 The souls of saved people possibly become inactive or “die” until theyare resurrected, and then they likely obtain a new soul (cf. 1 Cor. 15).

Note: In DS we’ve spoken of the soul (and body) as being the interface between the physical creation and the person. The human soul enables people to relate to the created world.

16.3 The bodiesof all people die and decay. At the resurrection, God’s people obtain new bodies.

17. DYING AS A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST

17.1 Dying to sin

a. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Cor 5:14-15 NIV)

b. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:3 NIV)

c. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24 NIV)

17.2 Wanting to die so as to be with Christ

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Phil 1:21-24 NIV)

17.3 Dying in Jesus

a. Those who believe in Jesus never die in spirit and heart

i. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:46-51 NIV)

ii. Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 NIV)

b. Those who belong to Jesus in life also belong to Him in death

If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. (Rom 14:8-9 NIV)

17.4 Unbelievers die in their sins

I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:24 NIV)

18. RESURRECTION

18.1 The certainty of it

a. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." (Lk. 20:37-38 NIV, also Matt. 22:31-32)

b. See also:

OT: Job 19:25-26, Ps. 17:15, Is. 26:19, Dan. 12:1-2, NT: Luke 14:13-14, John 5:28-29

18.2 Jesus was the first to rise permanentlyfrom the dead

a. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Cor 15:20 NIV)

b. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Col 1:18 NIV)

18.3 Death cannot touch Jesus again

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. (Rom 6:9 NIV)

18.4 The saved receive a resurrection body

Those who are saved will receive a new body (and possibly a new soul that corresponds to the new world/creation the saved will live in) upon being resurrected. (1 Cor. 15:35-55)

19. FIRST RESURRECTION—PART A (BEFORE THE TRIBULATION)

Please note: Bible scholars differ in their interpretation of Bible teaching about the timing of end time events, including the resurrection(s) of people. Please consider the content of the following two sections as representing DS’s best current understanding of this topic. We are presenting a pretribulation, premillennialperspective here (see Topic 545 in Course D for more details on these terms).

19.1 This resurrection is for God’s elect

a. 1 Cor. 15

i. When Christ comes, those who belong to Him will rise (vs. 23)

ii. Those who are alive in Christ, and those who are dead in Christ, will be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet (vss. 51-52)

iii. Then the end will come during which Christ will destroy all dominion, authority and power (vs. 24)

b. 1 Thess. 4

The Lord Jesus will come down from heaven—with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God—and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, those who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the airand be with him forever. (vss. 15-17)

c. Matt. 24, Mk. 13

i. No one knows the day and hour when Jesus will come, only the Father. (Matt. 24:36, 42, Mk. 13:32-33, 35)

ii. Jesus will come at an hour when people do not expect him to come. (Matt. 24:44, 50)

iii. As it was in the days of Noah before the flood, so it will be on that day—just as people were carrying on life as usual, right up to the time of Noah’s getting into the ark, not being aware of the destruction coming their way—so it will be at the time of the Lord Jesus’ return. (Matt. 24:37-39)

iv. Some people will be taken while some will be left behind—i.e. to face destruction. (Matt. 24:40-41)

20. FIRST RESURRECTION—PART B (AFTER THE TRIBULATION)

20.1 This resurrection is for God’s elect

a. Matt. 24, Mk. 13

i. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. (Matt. 24:30, Mk. 13:26)

ii. Jesus will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matt. 24:31, Mk. 13:27)

b. Rev. 20

i. Those who were killed because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or hands, came to life with Christ and reigned with him for a thousand years. (vss. 4-6)

20.2 Some comments about the first resurrection (i.e. both parts A and B)

a. Both Parts A and B are spoken of in Matt. 24:15-44 and Mk. 13:14-37, almost as though they were one and the same thing.

b. This may have been done because they are so close together in time, relatively speaking, and/or because Part A focuses particularly on the Gentiles and Part B on the people of Israel.

21. SECOND RESURRECTION (AFTER THE MILLENIUM)

21.1 This resurrection is for all who have not been resurrected yet

a. Rev. 20

i. All who haven’t been resurrected yet come to life. (vs. 5)

ii. The sea will give up the dead in it. Death and Hades will give up the dead in it, and all will be judged according to what they have done—i.e. before the Great White Throne and Him who sits on it. (vss. 11-13)

21.2 Note about Daniel 12:2

Dan. 12:2 seems to speak in a general way about both the first resurrection and the second resurrection.

22. GOD’S FINAL JUDGMENT

22.1 Some Old Testament references to the final judgment

Ps. 96:13, 98:9, Eccl. 11:9

22.2 Some New Testament references to the final judgment

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment… (Heb 9:27 NIV)

22.3 Several descriptions of God’s final judgment

a. Jesus: “Separation of the goats and the sheep” (Matt. 25:31-46)

b. Paul

i. Rom. 14:10-12 “Judgment seat of God,” seemingly for all people

ii. 2 Cor. 5:10 “Judgment seat of Christ,” possibly for all people

iii. 1 Cor. 3:10-15 The testing of believer’s work with fire Bema seat rewards

c. John: “The Great White Throne Judgment,” seemingly for all people (Rev. 20:11-15)

22.4 Do these descriptions refer to different events or the same event?

Some theologians feel that these descriptions refer to different events (cf. Chuck Swindoll in “Understanding Christian Theology”…), while some feel they refer to the same event that occurs after the millennium (cf. Wayne Grudem in his book on Systematic Theology…).

23. DYING AGAIN, OR NOT

23.1 The Second death

All those who come before the Great White Throne whose names are not written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, from which there will be no resurrection. (Rev. 20:11-15)

23.2 No more death for those who belong to God

Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. (Luke 20:34-36 NIV)

23.3 See Appendix 1—Resurrection and Judgment Timeline.

24. CONCLUSION

God loves the young and the old, and the aged should be honored. Sin reduces the length of people’s lives, but God generally gives a full lifespan to the righteous. God ordains every person’s lifespan. In the Bible we can see that God put a number of people to death because of their sin. In the OT we are informed of certain sins that brought the death sentence upon people. Although God is the One who gives life or death, He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and He delivers the righteous and needy, and all who call out to Him, from death. Some people die in peace, others do not. Some people die suddenly or relatively quickly. Some people die slow, possibly painful deaths. Some deaths allow for personal preparation and for bringing closure to relationships with other people, while some do not. At physical death, the spirits and hearts of people go to be with God or to Hades, their souls go to Hades or become inactive if they belong to God, while their bodies decay. When the saved are resurrected, they will receive a new, eternal body (and soul). The first resurrection will happen at the end of this age, and seemingly will have two parts to it, a pre-tribulation part and a post-tribulation part. Only believers in Christ will be part of this first resurrection. After the Millenium, all the remaining dead will be resurrected, and then all people will stand before God at the final judgment.

end

25. QUESTIONS FOR CONTEMPLATION & APPLICATION

25.1 What new thing(s) have you learned through studying this topic?

25.2 Are there any questions or concernsyou have about either death or resurrection?

25.3 Are there any fears you have about either death or resurrection?

25.4 Have you witnessed any traumatic or tragicdeaths that you still need healing for?

26. KEY PERSONAL THOUGHT(S)

27. KEY VERSE(S)

27.1 Believers in Jesus never die for they are connected to the resurrected One, the Life-Source

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 NIV)

28. BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Encountering Heaven and the Afterlife, James L. Garlow and Keith Wall, Bethany House, 2010

[1] From Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers [2] From Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words