New Heavens New Earth

A Survey of Life Made New

RECAP: Remnant (God’s purpose prevail… U?); Rapture (God call us home); Judgment (Allows us to run to desires, leads to death (cross))

TODAY: Resurrection!

Best way to study an idea is NOT to look at one verse, but to take Bible’s temp. on an idea or concept… see how it develops over course of writing.

Resurrection in OT:

Few and far between. Hardly mentinoed/spoken of (Sheol, not fun… ) Deuteronomy 32

Construction of tabernacle & priestly duties: numerous ref. to new life/resurrection…

Shewbread (rep: Israel) replaced every week anew, basking in His light!

From the beg., God was god of LIFE. Rituals echoed this idea - sacrifices gave life to the one involved.

1 Samuel 2:6 ““The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.”

Hannah utters this amazing statem’t of faith in YHWH when conceives.

Tweaks Deut 32:39 description… grave, AND UP!

Psalm 139:8 “If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

God’s omnipresence even applies to a dreary place after death - Sheol.

Elijah & Elisha sent to resurrect people; Elisha’s bones…

Isaiah 25:8 “[YWHW] will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.”

Reiterates the hope that God will deal with death and hold us; bring us to him after we die - even eradicating death!

Associated with the ppl returning from exile… teased a powerful ideal we celebrate today.

Quintessential resur. scriptiure…:

Daniel 12:2-3 “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

Most on-the-nose treatment of doctrine of resurrection.

Caught fire during the period between our testaments [2nd temple period]

2nd Temple:

LBD - - “With the considerable expansion of the doctrine during the half-millennium before Christ, the resurrection of the dead became “a cardinal doctrine of Judaism” at least among some groups and the “centerpiece of classical Jewish eschatology””

1 Enoch, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Sirach, Jesusalem War

All speak to the dead rising, usually in conjuct. w/ a final judg’t. High % compared to our OT…

Qumran…

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Intertestamental Literature

“he will heal the wounded, give life to the dead, and proclaim good tidings to the poor”—a passage considered by many scholars to be a clear statement of belief in resurrection at Qumran.

Just the highlights of this theme in Jewish thought.

The Daniel prophecy, given by Michael archangel takes HOLD.

By the time Jesus is on the scene, Jews clearly see Resurrection in their Bibles, await the Day of the LORD to right the wrongs in society!

Jesus & New Life

Now examine the hope Resurrection Brings! (Concept all over our NT — highlilght one pssg)

One day, a Reunion!

John 5:25 “Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”

…with those who are found in Christ!

Will be a great gathering/assembly of all those who hold Jesus as the standard and foundation of their lives!

Death is not something Xians fear nor mourn [for long]; merely momentary separation from those we love.

1 Cor 15:57 “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Gives us great comfort! Not only for we who still miss someone, but confidence for we who face the mysterious beyond.

…with Jesus himself!

The one who formed us and gave us what life we experience today will someday (soon, John/X says) greet the same Jesus in the security of His great love.

2 Corinthians 5:8 “… To be away from the body [is to be] at home with the Lord.”

…in a New Heavens & New Earth

Revelation 21:1-5 “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.””

Heavens/Earth speak to entirety of Creation.

Over many judgments, wicked purged and end up with a purified Creation

Compared to the Holy city, Jerus; Bride of X; Saints… Now on earth to make all things right!

Great future hope… but what about today??

Today, a Renewal!

John 5:24 ““Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

When we put our trust in Jesus Christ, a resurrection process has come.

WE ARE AMONG THE RESURRECTED!

Jesus’ kingdom? A New-Life Kingdom. Church? New-life people

Called to a new life standard. Live up to X’s ways (love enemy, speak truth, give to needy)

Commissioned to bring about his new life in this world!

Matt 28:18-19 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

Resurrection NOW.

Resurrection is not just something to wait for and give us confidence in the future.

Jesus himself says that Resurrection happens every day in our hearts.

Do you feel Resurrected today? Do you feel made-new?

If you don’t, it starts with you committing your life to the first one to rise from the dead.

Then walking out a Resurrection mindset!

What does that look like? We’re here to help with that. SG, Bible study, etc. Walk in COMMUNITY! Lifetime process.

Jesus offers New Life today! Will you take it and live it out??

Luke 24:6 “He is not here; he has risen!”