THE RESURRECTIONS
From an old 1973/74 Ambassador College study reprint (that
College was once owned by the Worldwide Church of God) - old but
still true to the Word of God - Keith Hunt.
INTRODUCTION:
THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION
by Raymond F. McNair
TODAY, Christianity is divided into literally hundreds of
sects and denominations - with many interpretations about life,
death, and the hereafter.
But why should there be so many different ideas regarding
man's afterlife? Why should there be such a state of confusion
regarding what the reward of the Christian really is?
Why do so many believe they are (or have) an immortal soul
which survives death in heaven, limbo, paradise or hell?
The biblical leaching on this subject of man - what he is,
his purpose in this life, his destiny and how to reach that
destiny - is crystal clear.
Isn't it high time that we cleared away the cobwebs of
denominational and sectarian confusion and looked into the Word
of God to see what it says about man's ultimate destinyand how he
is to attain that goal?
A Common Assumption.
As a young boy I was taught by my parents, by churchmen,
teachers and others, that we were born with immortality, and that
every believer in Jesus Christ was destined for heaven - way up
beyond the clouds. I fully believed this. I thought, like all
others who accepted Christ, I would some day go to heaven and
live there forever.
Concurrent with this idea that I was immortal, or that I had
an immortal soul somewhere in me, I also heard a great deal about
a resurrection of the dead. These two concepts seemed, even to my
young mind, to be contradictory. If I were immortal, then why
would I need to be resurrected?
I found that men had various ideas to attempt to reconcile
this paradox. Some taught that at death the righteous go off
immediately to their reward in limbo, paradise or heaven, but the
wicked go instantly to hell, where these immortal souls would
burn forever and ever.
Notice how firmly this same idea of an "immortal soul" was
fixed in the mind of Benjamin Franklin. In his autobiography,
Franklin tells that he once considered starting his own "sect,"
to be called "The Society of the Free and Easy." He said his
"intended creed" for this new religion was to contain what he
believed to be "the essentials of every known religion." Notice
how his list of "essentials" included a belief in the immortality
of the soul.
"That there is one God, who made all things. That he governs the
world by his providence.... That the soul is immortal. And that
God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or
hereafter."
To the best of my memory, I was taught as a child that at
death you go immediately to your reward (usually in heaven) or
punishment (usually to hell fire) and remain there until the
final Judgment Day. On this day the souls of the righteous in
heaven and those in hell were supposed to be reunited with their
resurrected bodies - where they would then share the joys (or
pains) of eternity - depending upon whether they were saved or
lost.
Let's face it. A lot of contradictory ideas regarding what
happens after death have been promulgated. There is much
confusion on this important question - and "God is not the author
of confusion" (I Cor.14:33).
Where did these unscriptural, confused ideas about what man
is and his ultimate destiny really originate? When I began
studying the Bible diligently, I found it did not contradict
itself. Rather, I found the same consistent teaching regarding
what man is - and what is his destiny - in both the Old and New
Testaments.
Egyptian Belief In a Resurrection.
Before we go to the Bible, let us briefly see what some of
the ancients taught on this subject.
A few years ago, I visited the empty tombs of some of the ancient
Egyptian Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings, near Luxor, Egypt.
I was surprised to see that Egyptian hieroglyphics on the walls
of the Pharaohs' tombs depicted a rising up (or resurrection) to
life after death.
But how could those ancient Egyptians, steeped in paganism
and cut off from the truth of Almighty God, have known the truth
about the resurrection? This puzzled me.
King Tut (Tutankhamen) was buried in a most elaborate tomb.
His remains were later removed and placed in the Cairo Museum,
along with many articles and artifacts (chairs, table, bed,
etc.), where they have since been viewed by millions.
But why did these Pharaohs make such elaborate burial
preparations, including having their dead bodies mummified? The
simple answer is that they believed in an afterlife, when they
would open their eyes in a "resurrection." Then they would be
able to enjoy all of these material objects (including, in some
instances, food) at the very instant of their "resurrection."
But where did the ancient, pagan Egyptians learn this truth?
The Bible or history does not reveal this clearly. Noah knew
about the resurrection. So did his sons Shem, Japheth and Ham -
and the Egyptians descended from Mizraim, the son of Ham. So you
can see why the Egyptians were not ignorant of this truth.
But we also must remember that the patriarchs Abraham (who
believed in the resurrection - see Heb.11:19,35), Jacob, and
Joseph (Pharaoh's Prime Minister), had spent many years in Egypt.
Since the patriarchs understood that God would resurrect the
dead, it is possible that even they may have communicated this
truth to the Egyptians.
Immortality and the Greeks.
Notice what the famous historian Edward Gibbon, in his The
"Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," has to say about the
development of the idea of man's immortal soul:
"The writings of Cicero represent in the most lively colours the
ignorance, the errors, and the uncertainty of the ancient
philosophers with regard to the immortality of the soul .... the
philosophers who trod in the footsteps of Plato deduced a very
unjustifiable conclusion, since they asserted, not only the
future immortality, but the past eternity of the human soul..."
(The Modern Library Series, New York, Random House, 1,15, 2, pp.
398-399).
Then Gibbon shows how the belief in an immortal soul came to
be looked upon as "truth." "The important truth of the
immortality of the soul was inculcated with more diligence as
well as success in India, in Assyria, in Egypt, and in Gaul ....
It is incumbent on us to adore the mysterious dispensations of
Providence, when we discover that the doctrine of the immortality
of the soul is omitted in the law of Moses..." (ibid., pp.
400-401).
How did this belief affect the Jewish people? Gibbon says
that the Sadducees "rejected the immortality of the soul as an
opinion that received no countenance from the divine book"
(ibid., p.402). He then adds that "the immortality of the soul
became the prevailing sentiment of the synagogue under the reign
of the Asmonaean princes and pontiffs. "Their [the Jews'] zeal,
however, added nothing to its evidence, or even probability; and
it was still necessary that the doctrine of life and immortality,
which had been dictated by nature, approved by reason, and re-
ceived by superstition, should obtain the sanction of divine
truth from the [so-called] authority and example of Christ"
(ibid.).
But Christ, by teaching and example, never gave credence to
the spurious doctrine of the immortality of the soul.
But what about the Greeks? They and other ancient peoples
did not believe in a resurrection. They believed man had an
immortal soul within him, and when he died this soul went off to
some place of afterlife. It was this Hellenistic idea of an
immortal soul which later influenced the beliefs of some of the
Jewish people, and many professing Christians. But, remember,
this idea of man being immortal, or having an immortal soul, did
not come from God or His Word. It came directly from the pagans.
For proof of this, look up this subject in any good
encyclopedia.
For example, check the article "Eschatology" in any of the
later editions of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Do souls Die? What does the Bible teach about man? What
happens to him at death? Is man an immortal soul? We are told,
"The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living
soul" (Gen.2:7).
Man was created a "living sour, (Hebrew, nephesh), but it
does not say that man was created an immortal soul. Rather, it
goes on to show that man was mortal - that he would "die" (Gen.
2:17).
This word nephesh (translated as "soul") is also used
throughout the Hebrew Scriptures to refer to the lower creatures
God had created.
Can the soul die? "The soul that sinneth, it shall die"
(Ezek.18:4,20).
In many instances the Bible speaks of souls being killed, of
them dying and perishing.
When the New Testament writers quoted the Old Testament
passages where the word nephesh ("soul") was used, they used the
Greek equivalent, psuche, meaning "a living being," identical in
meaning to the Hebrew word nephesh.
Notice what Jesus said regarding the soul (psuche): "Fear
him [God] which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell
[Gehenna, the lake of fire]" (Matt.10:28).
Mortal Man.
Job, quoting Eliphaz, wrote: "Shall mortal man be more just
than God?" (Job 4:17.) And in Deuteronomy we are told that it was
possible for a man to "smite him [his neighbor] mortally that he
die" (Deut.19:11). "Mortal" means that which can die.
In the New Testament Paul taught that a Christian should not
let sin rule in his "mortal body" (Rom.6:12). He also spoke of a
Christian's "mortal body" being quickened or made alive (Rom.
8:11).
At the resurrection "this mortal must put on immortality" (I
Cor.15:53,54). Paul spoke of Christians' bodies as "our mortal
flesh" (2 Cor.4:11). But he added that the time is coming (in the
future) when our "mortality" will be "swallowed up of [eternal]
life" (2 Cor.5:4).
Paul was also inspired to pen a promise of immortality: "To
them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and
bonour and immortality, [they will be granted] eternal life"
(Rom.2:7).
Did you notice that man must seek, as a gift from God,
immortality? Why? Only God has immortality to give: "Who only
[referring to the King of kings - verse 15] hath immortality" (I
Tim.6:16). "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the
only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever" (I Tim.
1:19). Eternal life or future immortality was nowhere offered to
ancient Israel or to the Gentile nations during the Old Testament
period. But God's grace, His free gift of eternal life, "is now
made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who
hath abolished death, and bath brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel" (2 Tim.1:10).
Is Man Conscious In Death?
If man is mortal, not immortal, then what happens to him at
death? Does his soul immediately waft off to heaven, hell or
someplace where he is conscious; or does man go to the grave to
"sleep" until the time of the resurrection?
David was inspired to write: "His [man's] breath goeth
forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts
perish" (Ps.146:4). This scripture reveals that man ceases to
think al the time of his death.
Solomon revealed that "there is no work, nor device, nor
knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave [sheoll, whither thou goest"
(Eccl.9:10).
This is the clear teaching of your Bible from Genesis to
Revelation. Man is mortal. He will die. In death he is as one who
is "asleep," awaiting the resurrection. There is absolutely
no mental or physical activity in the grave! (Ps.6:5; 115:17.)
Numerous resurrections (back to a physical life) are
recorded in the Bible, but there is not one word about the dead
having had any knowledge of what occurred during the interval
when they were dead.
Lazarus had been dead "four days" (John 11:17), but was
raised from the dead by Jesus Christ. And he had no knowledge of
consciousness during that period of time - rather he was as one
in a deep sleep - in a state of unconsciousness. Christ said:
"Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out
of sleep" (verse 11).
Does science have the answers to explain what man is, what
happens at death, what man's ultimate destiny is to be, or how
man can reach that destiny? No, for only God can reveal the
answers to these vital questions: and He has made known this
truth only in the Bible.
What is man's hope?
According to the Bible, the resurrection is man's only
hope.
................
NOTE:
For an in-depth study of LIFE and DEATH, see the studies called
"Death - then What?
To be continued with "The Resurrection in the Old Testament."
2. The RESURRECTIONS
It was PROMISED in the Old Testament!
THE RESURRECTIONS
From a study paper of Ambassador College (1973/74)
NOTICE now how many Old Testament prophets spoke of man's
resurrection back to life.
David wrote of the resurrection: "My flesh also shall rest
in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [sheol, the
grave; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One [Christ] to see
corruption" (Ps.16:9,10).
The Apostle Peter, commenting on this very scripture, said:
"Let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is
both dead and buried.... He seeing this before spake of the
resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell,
neither his flesh did see corruption" (Acts 2:29,31).
Christ's "soul was not left in hell [Greek, hades - the
grave]," and His body did not decompose. It was buried in a
rock-hewn tomb at a cool time of the year; and it was resurrected
before decomposition set in. before it began to decay or putrefy.
Christ's Resurrection - a Type.
Christ's resurrection was, in fact, a type of the
resurrection which God promises to all those who faithfully obey
Him.
The Apostle Paul was inspired to write: "But if the Spirit
of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [enliven] your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom.8:11).
Resurrection Taught In Old Testament.
We have already examined the scripture in Psalm 16:9,10,
which clearly shows that David believed in a coming resurrection
for the Messiah and also for himself. David said: "My flesh also
shall rest [in the grave] in hope [of the coming resurrection].
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell...."
But long before the time of David, God's servant Job clearly
revealed his faith in a coming resurrection. He asked: "If a man
die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will
wait, till my change come. Thou [God] shalt call, and I will
answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands"
(Job 14:14,15).
Yes, Job knew the time was coming when his Creator would
call him from the grave and clothe him with eternal life. "For I
know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy
this body, yet in my flesh (Hebrew, without or apart from my
flesh] shall I see God" (Job 19:25,26).
He knew he would some day be resurrected to see his
Redeemer.
(And we have seen in the study called "What will you be like in
the Resurrection?" that we shall be able to be "flesh and bones"
[as Jesus did when appearing to His disciples] IF we want to. It
will still be "fun" to do many physical things during that 1,000
year reign of the Kingdom of God on earth. I'm a horseman, and in
the resurrection it will still be fun to be flesh and bones and
mount a fast running horse through the beautiful valleys of the
earth. We will still be able to be flesh in the resurrection and
enjoy a wonderful meal of delicious foods IF we so desire - Keith
Hunt)
The Prophet Isaiah believed in the resurrection: "Thy dead
men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the
herbs, and the earth shall cast our the dead" (Isa.26:19).
Ezekiel also prophesied of a coming resurrection when the
"whole house of Israel" will be restored to life. His vision of a
"valley which was full of bones" is well known: "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" (Ezek.
37:4-6).
Furthermore, God says through Ezekiel: "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" (verse 12).
The Prophet Daniel also foretold a coming resurrection when
"Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting
contempt" (Dan.12:2).
An angel appeared unto Daniel and told him: "But go thy way
till the end be: for thou shalt rest (in the grave], and stand
[stand up in a resurrection] in thy lot at the end of the days"
(verse 13).
The primary definition of the word "resurrect" itself is "to
raise from the dead: restore to life."
In the Arndt-Gingrich Greek Lexicon, the Greek word
translated "resurrection" is "anastasis" which means to "rise" or
to be "resurrected" from the dead. In Hebrews 11:35 it is
translated, "Women received their dead raised to life again...."
This translation tends to clarify the meaning of the original
Greek term, to be "raised to life again" after having once
experienced death is to be resurrected. Raised has to do with
being elevated out of the grave.
Hosea also believed in the resurrection: "I will ransom them
from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O
death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction
..." (Hosea 13:14).
The eleventh chapter of Hebrews gives a long list of
faithful servants of God who, during Old Testament times, obeyed
God and often would not accept deliverance from a horrible death
"that they might [through their martyrdom] obtain a better
resurrection" (Heb.11:35).
Abraham had such faith that he accounted "that God was able
to raise him [his son, Isaac] up, even from the dead" (verse 19).
Abraham knew that God had promised the Holy Land to him and
his children as an everlasting possession. The only way Abraham
could receive the fulfilment of this promise was by a
resurrection from the dead. "For he looked for a city [in which
he and other faithful ones would dwell - after their
resurrection] which bath foundations, whose builder and maker is
God" (verse 10).
Abraham knew he would be raised from his grave and would
someday dwell with God and with other glorified humans in New
Jerusalem, in the new earth, where there would be no more sin,
sorrow or death to mar eternal happiness.
Many have failed to realize that even Moses prophesied of
the saints being glorified in a resurrection at the second coming
of Christ when they will be united with Him. "The Lord came from
Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from
mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints; from his
right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people;
all his saints are in thy hand: and they sit down at thy feet;
every one shall [in the future] receive of thy words"
(Dent.33:2,3).
There were not "ten thousands of saints" with Moses at the
time when God gave Israel the Ten Commandments at Sinai. Only
Joshua and Caleb were permitted to enter the Promised Land.
Moses, Aaron and Miriam were also saints, but the vast majority
of the Israelites were carnal, faithless, and totally rebellious.
They were anything but saints.
The afore-quoted prophecy refers to the time of the second
coming of Jesus Christ, when many thousands of saints will be
resurrected from their graves (Israelites and Gentiles) and will
be joined unto Christ, as His Bride. Then Christ will give them
His law to teach all nations in the wonderful, utopian World
Tomorrow, in the Kingdom of God (see I Thes.4:13-18).
Man's Only Hope.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica, commenting on Daniel 12:2,
says: "It should be noted that it is not the immortality of the
soul that is spoken of but the resurrection of the dead, who have
remained dead ('sleep in the dust') until the end-time (when
'your people shall be delivered'). This remains the hope and
expectation normative in Judaism and Christianity
("Eschatology," 14th edition, 1973, VIII, p.696).
You will search the Bible in vain to find any other
teaching. The Bible teaches the resurrection - not the
immortality of the soul.
.................
NOTE:
Oh, the truths of the Bible, they are wondrous, they remain true.
It matters not what organizations fall prey to. It matters not if
men fall from the straight and narrow, fall into the ditch of
corruptions and falsehoods. It matters not if men are blinded by
their vanity and ego. It matters not if men, for whatever reason,
get dragged into false teachings. The apostle Paul in Acts 20,
was inspired to tell us that such indeed WOULD HAPPEN at times
right from within the very Church of God.
What does matter brethren, what IS IMPORTANT, is that God's WORD
of LIFE, is EVER TRUE! It is ever CORRECT! Truth is TRUTH and
shall ALWAYS BE TRUTH!
GOD IS TRUE, and what you have read about the RESURRECTION from
the Old Testament WILL ONE DAY BE A REALITY - IT WILL TAKE PLACE!
All your loved ones, your friends, everyone that you want to see
again, YOU WILL SEE AGAIN.
The ETERNAL HOLY ONE wants everyone to come to REPENTANCE and to
be SAVED into His Kingdom Family. I can tell you that when all is
accomplished in the plan of Salvation for this earth and the
people on it (all in the past - all in the future) MOST, the HUGE
MAJORITY will accept Jesus as their personal Savior. It will only
be the relative few who will not desire to live with the heavenly
Father.
The RESURRECTIONS are one of the most WONDERFUL doctrines of the
Bible. The PROMISE of God, that in time, in His plan, everyone in
the graves of the earth, SHALL LIVE AGAIN! (John 5:25-29). This
is the PROMISE of Christ Jesus! Rich or poor, young or old, all
that are asleep in death, will come FORTH AND LIVE AGAIN!
As you continue to read these studies on the Resurrections, be
lifted up, to joyous, and praise the Holy One in heaven that it
will be as He has spoken.
Keith Hunt
3. The Resurrection Revisited
Resurrection to birth and Immortality
THE RESURRECTION REVISITED
BY DON ROBSON
There is a disturbing trend in these last days to diminish the
glory of the Christian faith. Of course it is a part of the one
world initiative, one world government and one world religion.
Prominent Christians like Oprah Winfrey, the President of the
United States and Tony Blair, the former prime minister of Great
Britain, all have taken the position that Christ is not the only
way to God. In fact, on a recent interview with the CRC, Tony
Blair spoke of his faith, his conversion to the Roman Catholic
church and his work to find common elements to the world's
religions to bring about a reconciliation and a unity among them.
Even while this is going on, Christians are dying in Iraq and
recently in Egypt as they are attacked by bombers while they are
worshipping in church or, in Egypt's case, while leaving church.
We know that Satan has been unrelenting in his attacks on
Christ and His people since he tried to have the baby Jesus
killed in Bethlehem.
So, as of to-day, what makes Christ the stumbling block to the
plans of the one worlders? It is the resurrection and the
resulting promise of eternal life with Christ as King, and High
Priest after the order of Melchizedek and Prince of Peace.
The resurrection is unique to Christianity and is the foundation
of our faith. Jesus told Nicodemus two things; first, no man goes
to heaven but the Son of Man and second, we must be born again.
The church interprets the born again part as a spiritual
awakening making us new creatures having the Comforter within us.
But, in my opinion, Jesus was referring to the resurrection as
rebirth when we can expect to inherit bodies like His glorious
body, being filled with His spirit, His laws being written on our
new hearts of flesh and in our minds. That is why He says that we
will not be teaching others of the Lord, for we will all know Him
and His glory will fill the earth.
This truth was known from the beginning following the fall of
Adam.
Job's faith is recorded in the oldest book of the Bible. Job 19:
25 - 27, "For I know that my Redeemer lived, and that He shall
stand at the latter day upon the earth; And though after my skin
worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God;
Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold and not
another; though my reins shall be consumed within me."
Then we have King David's testimony roughly one thousand years
before Christ's resurrection. We read in Psalm 17: 15, "As for
me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be
satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness."
Jesus claimed to be the resurrection! Did He back up this claim?
Yes, He did so in two ways. First, He raised Lazarus from the
grave in the great demonstration of His power. After seeing this
miracle, the attending Jews were determined to put Jesus to
death. You could say, He signed His own death warrant by showing
this supernatural power. Second, He forecast His own death.
During the forty days following his resurrection, He was seen by
His disciples and as Paul mentions in one of his letters, by five
hundred others who were still living at the time.
St. Paul made the resurrection the corner stone of his preaching.
We are all aware of his statements that, if Christ be not risen,
then we are the most miserable of men because there would be no
resurrection for us and we should die in our sins. It seems
almost redundant to write it here, since it is fundamental to all
Christians, that Christ died to save sinners. He was the perfect
sacrifice, being unblemished by sin Himself, He took on our sins
and endured the justice and wrath of God, allowing God to show us
mercy and giving truth to the prophecy of Isaiah, "Though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be
as crimson, they shall be as wool."
Jesus made it very clear that no man taketh His life but He laid
it down, a sacrifice. He explained to His disciples, "No man hath
greater love than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends." And in that last supper he even explained to them how
they were not his servants (because they did not have a master
servant relationship) but His friends. Yes, this is the love that
passes understanding. And what did Jesus say unto us? "If ye love
me, keep my commandments". And He summarized them for us; "Love
your God with all your heart, soul and strength and love your
neighbour as yourself". Yes, Jesus is the God of love.
Finally, John, in his gospel, goes to great lengths to establish
the fact that God sent Jesus to rescue us from sin so we might be
reconciled to God. He emphatically states that if we believe not
in the Son, we have not the Father. But if we believe in the Son,
we have the Father. For all those who do not believe in Christ
Jesus, their god or gods are not the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, the Creator of heaven, earth and all that is in them, both
visible and invisible. Like Paul said, they are the most
miserable of men having no redeemer from sin.
We must defend our faith vigorously, trying to bring all people
to our God while resisting the temptation to allow our faith to
be rolled into a universal religion with no Christ Jesus.
Jesus proclaimed. "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man
comes to the Father except by Me." We better believe it!!
..........
From "Thy Kingdom Come" - April 2011 - a magazine of The
Association of the Covenant People, Burnaby, B.C. Canada.
4. Death - Where is thy Sting!
The Resurrection gives Life!
"O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING"
by Don Robson
Recently, it was my misfortune to attend the funeral service
of a friend who was a member of my own church. In the past few
years I have found funeral services to be disconcerting and I
believe that those services highlight, better than anything else,
the flawed preaching of our ministers and flawed theology of our
religious scholars. Over time, we have come to believe that death
is a transition from this life on earth to a life in heaven with
God. So, death is NOT death but a passport to a paradise where we
live with the angels. This is not what the Bible teaches or more
specifically, what Jesus teaches. Let us examine this together
and see if we can find the truth.
The first truth is found in John 3:13 where Jesus is
teaching Nicodemus that we must be born again. To be born again,
we must first face death; the rebirth comes with the
Resurrection. The verse cited states, "And NO MAN hath ascended
up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of
Man which is in heaven." That rules out singing with the angels
and praising the Ancient of Days before His throne. All of our
funerals refer constantly to going to heaven, "a better place",
and eulogizers include messages to the dead like they can he
heard; for example, "Dad I love you!" It would make more sense to
me if the eulogizer said to the participating congregation, "I
loved Dad."
As in every phase of life, we can look to Jesus for
understanding and compassion in our times of grief. When Jesus
confronted death He referred to sleep. When we sleep, we fully
expect to awake the next morning; so when Jesus referred to death
as sleep, He was giving us hope that it would have a good ending,
or, better, a new beginning. Although the Bible has several
examples of recovery from sleep (death) I believe the most useful
is the story of Lazarus. There is no doubt in my mind that
Lazarus died, an act of God, so that His Son Jesus could
demonstrate His power designed to strengthen the faith of His
followers and to give Him necessary credibility with mankind when
He stated, "I AM THE RESURRECTION."
So, let us take a look at the Lazarus story. The story begins in
John 11 - "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may wake
him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep he
shall do well. Howbeit, Jesus spake of his death, but they
thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep, Then Jesus
said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your
sakes that I was not there, to the intent that you may believe;
nevertheless let us go unto him." Here Jesus uses the metaphor of
being awakened from sleep, meaning resurrected from death. And He
expressed delight that He would have the opportunity to display
His power, THAT HIS DISCIPLES MAY BELIEVE! And John has recorded
this story that WE MIGHT BELIEVE! As you know, Martha told Jesus
that He could have saved Lazarus if He had been there, but
whatever Jesus asked of God, God would give it to Him. Jesus did
not tell her that Lazarus had gone to heaven and being in heaven
do not mourn for him for he is in a better place. No, Jesus said,
"Thy brother shall rise again." Martha expressed her belief in
Jesus and the Resurrection at the last day. Without going through
all the details of the story, Jesus said to them, "If thou
wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God." Finally,
those famous words, "Lazarus, come forth!" Then, the miracle was
completed as Lazarus complied with that command. What a
demonstration of power! This was a foretaste of Jesus' own
resurrection.
In this story, Jesus made the following declaration, "I AM
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; he that believeth in Me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live: but whosoever liveth and believeth
in ME shall never die." When Jesus says shall never die, He is
referring to the SECOND Death. We all must die once but through
the power of the Resurrection, we shall be born again into LIFE
EVERLASTING! But if we sleep in the grave until Jesus calls us
forth, what happens to our spirit? Again, on the Cross where
Jesus DIED, He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My
Spirit." Yes, God preserves our essence in His own mysterious way
until it is reunited with our new flesh and bones, a body like
unto Jesus' glorious body.
St.Paul based his whole ministry on the truth of the
Resurrection. But even he had to deal with unbelievers. His
response to this major theological problem is found in 1st
Corinthians, chapter 15. I think it would be profitable for you
to take time, at this point in this essay, to read that whole
chapter. St.Paul does a better job than I could ever do, although
I will quote some key verses. For example, verse 12:19, "Now if
Christ be preached that He arose from the dead, how say some
among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there
be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen; and if
Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith
is also vain. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God;
because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ; whom
He raised not up, if it be so that the dead rise not. But if the
dead rise not then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not
raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they
also which are fallen ASLEEP in Christ are perished. If in this
life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable." Then, St.Paul discusses how the risen Christ atones
for Adam's sin (and ours) concluding, "Even so shall ALL be made
alive. And then in verse 23, "But every man in his own order;
Christ the firstfruits; afterward, they that are Christ's AT HIS
COMING."
St.Paul discusses the subject further and verse 32 ends with
words we all know, "If after the manner of men I have fought with
beasts at Ephesus, What advantageth it me, if the dead rise not?
Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die." St.Paul discusses how
we must die, like a seed in the ground, to acquire our new body,
like unto His glorious body. This discussion leads to the verses
54 and 55, "So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then
shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is
swallowed up in victory. 0 Death, where is thy sting? 0 grave,
where is thy victory?"
We should be overjoyed at the prospect of joining our loved
ones at the time of Resurrection. But St.Paul foresaw the future
when he prophesied in 2nd Timothy, 4:3-4, "For the time will come
when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own
lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching
ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be TURNED UNTO FABLES." So, we conduct funerals without any
mention of the Resurrection to new life on this planet, where God
has promised to make all things new so that we will not call to
remembrance the former things.
St.Paul offered us comforting words which I have never heard
at a funeral and seldom, if ever, in a church. I refer to 1st
Thessalonians 4: 16-18, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with
the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then
we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, (returning to
earth with Him) and so shall we ever be with the Lord: Wherefore,
comfort one another with these words."
.............
From "Thy Kingdom Come" (June 2008)
A publication of The Association of the Covenant People, Burnaby,
B.C. Canada
5. What you'll be Like in the ResurrectionGlory - and PerfectionWHAT WILL YOU BE LIKE
IN THE RESURRECTION?
(First published in the early 1960s)
by Dr. Paul C. Meredith
What kind of body will we have? It will be of a different
TYPE and for a different PURPOSE than you have probably imagined!
IF You could examine the kind of body you will have when you
are resurrected to immortality, it would clear up a great many
questions in your mind, would it not?
Someone has already acquired the same type of body that you
will have, and that person is Jesus Christ!
What Is the Family of Cod?
God the Father has desired to form for Himself, and from His
very being, a Family of immortal children who will be partaken of
His own "divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4 and Psalm 17:15), who
can be trusted with great power and on whom He can lavish His
love by sharing with them all that He has created.
This Family will compose the Kingdom of God. You mast be
born of God to enter it.
Being a God of order, He has established laws which we must
obey in order to be admitted to this Family. We must show in
advance, our willingness to be obedient to Him by having these
laws written in our hearts and minds (2 Cor.3:3).
If we are not obedient, then we sin (I John 3:4), and the
wages of sin is - established as death (Romans 6:23) - eternal
death! "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23) - all of mortal mankind that God ever made was
doomed to die!
Most certainly there could be no Family of God formed from
these mortal people if they were to be dead foreve.
It was at this point that the Word, who was soon to become
the Son of God, sacrificed the glory of being God to become
"flesh and blood" just as you and I (Heb.2:14), so that He could
die in place of us for our sins. No wonder we owe so much to
Christ!
How It All Began
Now notice, very carefully, the begettal of the Father's
very first son, who would later, after His physical death, be
born into the Family of God!
The angel, speaking to Mary concerning Christ's future
birth, said, "The Holy Ghost [Spirit] ... of the Highest shall
overshadow thee: therefore also know that holy thing which shall
be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).
The angel said to Joseph, Mary's husband: "... Fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived [or
begotten] in her is of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. :20).
Two things happened here: Christ was begotten as a mortal
man and physical birth took place shortly thereafter; and, He was
also begotten by the Holy Spirit at that time.
At the end of His physical life He died a physical death in
the place of all mortal men, who would have died for their own
sins; but - at His resurrection - He was born again, this time a
spiritual birth because He had been begotten by the Holy Spirit.
This time He was born into the spirit Family of God with a
spiritual body.(I Cor.15:44,45).
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see [or enter] the kingdom
[or family] of God" (John 3:3,5). "It is sown a natural body; it
is raised a spiritual body" (1 Cor.15:44). "Flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor.15:50). "That which is
born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit." (John 3:6). Christ's physical body, which did not
corrupt, was changed into spirit like that of the Father. God is
spirit (John 4:24).
Christ Our Brother
It was by the Holy Spirit of God, put there by the Father at
Christ's human begettal and dwelling in Christ, that the Father
resurrected Him with an immortal spiritual body. He has promised
to give you and me the same reward if we now let God beget as
with the impregnating germ of eternal life, His Holy Spirit!
"... If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead
dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you"
(Rom. 8:11). To "quicken" is to make eternally alive! By
repenting and being baptized, you and I, who are made of the same
mortal flesh which Christ took on Himself by having Mary as His
mother (Heb.2:14), may also receive the gift, or, in other words,
be begotten of the Holy Spirit!
What does this mean? It means that when you and I are
resurrected, Christ becomes our eldest brother in the spirit
Family of God, for all will have the same Father, all will be
begotten of the same spirit - God's Spirit - and all will be born
into the same Family! (Rom.8:29; Heb.2:11,12).
It means that as Christ will be our elder brother then, you
and I will have the same kind of body that He has! "We shall be
like him" (I John 3:2).
Body for New Work
The outstanding difference between the body we now have and
the one we will have is that, while this one is a natural or
mortal body, the one we shall have will be a different, spiritual
body: "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spirltual body"
(1 Cor.15:44). If we are alive at the time of the resurrection,
our mortal bodies will be changed just as an egg becomes, or is
changed into, a chick. If we have died, our character comes forth
out of the dust (more correctly our character spirit has gone to
be safely kept by God up in heaven - see Ecc.12:7 and is joined
to a spirit body at the time of the resurrection - Keith Hunt) in
a spiritual body which God gives through His Holy Spirit from
heaven (2 Cor.5:2). This is a different kind of resurrection than
to mortal life, as described in Ezekiel 37 and Revelation
20:11-13. Also we read: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and
thou hearest the sound thereof, bur canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the
Spirit" (John 3:8). Spirit is not subject to physical laws,
because it is not matter.
Jesus Christ could suddenly appear: "And as they thus spake
Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them,
Peace be unto You. But they were terrified..." (Luke 24:36-37).
He also had the ability to vanish after He was resurrected: "and
he vanished out of their sight" (Luke 24:31).
We shall be able to pass through barriers or walls as Christ
did: "Then the same day at evening ... when the doors were shut
where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came
Jesus and stood in the midst..." (John 20:19).
We will be able to travel rapidly through space. In John
20:17 Christ says: "Touch me nor, for I am not yet ascended to my
Father...." Now note that on the same day Christ had been able to
travel to the Father and return: "And as they went to tell his
disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All! hail. And they
came and held him by the feet..." (Matt.28:9).
The eating of food will not be necessary, although we may
eat for pleasure as did Jesus with his disciples
(Luke 24:41-43): and, of course, no shelter will be necessary.
When desirable, we will be able to manifest ourselves as physical
flesh and bone so mortal eyes can see us:
.... Jesus himself stood in the midst of them [after the
crucifixion] ... but they were terrified and affrighted and
supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said ... Behold my
hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a
spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:36
39).
Notice that Christ did not say that He was not spirit,
because He definitely was (see I Cor.15:42-45 and the description
of His appearance in Rev.1). The disciples were quite frightened
when Christ suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He simply was
allaying their fears by pointing ut that He was not an apparition
- not a wispy cloud hovering in the air - not a figment of their
overactive imaginations.
So we shall be able to manifest ourselves as flesh and bone as
Christ did, even though we - as Christ - will be composed of
spirit with spirit bodies (John 4:24; 2 Cor 3:17; John 6:63).
Now, what about the work we are to do in the 1000 years of
Christ's and His rule here on this earth (Revelation 20:4 and
Isaiah chapter 11), in relation to these new, powerful bodies
which are like Jesus' and the Father's?
We know that we shall be judges (Revelation 20:1-4) and
priests (verse 6) and rulers (verse 4) with God and Christ on
this earth (Revelation 5:10). To govern all the great number of
human beings, who at that time will need guidance (Isaiah 2:1-5;
9:6-7; Jeremiah 31:1-9) so that they can also be begotten and be
born into the Family of God, we will certainly need the kind of
body that Christ and the Father possess (Isaiah 40:28 and 31).
This certainly does not say that, at death, we go at once to
heaven, and lie around in idleness and ease, does it? No! And the
Bible does not teach it! (Zechariah, 14th chapter.) We will have
work to do according to the plan revealed only in the Bible! We
shall be teachers visibly manifested to human beings (Isaiah
30:20). With bodies that can do without food or shelter and
which can travel so rapidly, those called now can accomplish an
immense amount in guiding large numbers of people and in
governing the universe with God!
Glorified Bodies
We have now seen that our bodies are to be resurrected as
spiritual bodies (I Corinthians 15:44), and that we will be able
to change into physical flesh and bone (Luke 24:39) in different
forms (Mark 16:12).
But there is something else that is going to happen to our
spiritual bodies - something that Christ considered very
important! Notice what Christ said to the Father in finishing His
work here on this earth!
"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work
which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me
with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before
the world was" (John 17:4,5).
Christ said, "I have glorified thee." But how? In raising
people from the dead, healing, and performing miracles He had
glorified God by showing to man only a part of God's great power!
Soon Christ was going to be back with the Father again, and He
looked forward to being restored to the great power He once had!
To be glorified means to be given power and glory! But what has
that to do with us? God is going to glorify you and me also -
going to give you and me great power! "The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we [you and I) may be also
glorified together" (Rom.8:16,17 and 2 Cor.3:18). This prospect
leaves us breathless, yet there it is in your own Bible. Read it!
God has promised it and He will do it! (I Cor.15:43).
This power we shall have will be so great that it will make
our spirit bodies shine as the sun and our raiment be white as
the light. Jesus gave us a fleeting glimpse of this future
condition when He was transfigured while Peter, James, and John
looked on:
"... till they see rise Son of man coming in his kingdom. And
after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James and John ... up into an
high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them, and his
face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the
light" (Matt.16:28 and 17:1-2).
There are other places that give us a more complete picture
of the glorified body we will have (Rev.1:13-16).
Notice Daniel 12:2,3: "And many of them that steep in the
dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life... and
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;
and they that turn many to righteousness as the start for ever
and ever."
Other Characteristics
Inasmuch as we will be begotten of the Father, we will be
better than the angels: "Being made so much better than the
angels...for unto which of the angels said he ... Thou art my
Son, this day have I begotten thee?" (Heb.1:4-5).
There will nor be sex and marriage as we know them in the
spirit form:
"For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given
in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matt.
22:30). Yet we shall recognize one another as Mary Magdalene did
Jesus (John 20:16).
Our work will be so pleasant after our resurrection when we
have new bodies that Paul spoke of it as a rest: "Let us labour
therefore to enter that rest, lest any man fall after the same
example of unbelief" (Heb.4:11). At that time, we will not have
such physical handicaps as lameness, blindness, deafness, missing
members or deformities.
Mind of God
Here is the kind of mind the Bible says that human beings
normally have: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed
evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts,
covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye..."
(Mark 7:21-22).
"I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing"
(Rom.7:18). "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the lam of God..." (Rom.8:7).
Yet obedience to the Law of God is the only way that will
bring happiness! But we want to follow, not God's laws, but our
own
ways instead.
Why? So that we will try every other way of living and
discover that, regardless of what we think, the only satisfactory
way is to live and think by the Father's laws! This is how we
develop the character of God - by coming to right knowledge and
by acting upon it.
Some of us, becoming discouraged with the ways of living in
this world, learn of the true way to live, repent, believe, are
baptized and receive the Holy Spirit - we are begotten of the
Father. By our mental efforts we cannot overcome our natural
minds.
But God has given us a part of His own self to aid us. If we
will nourish this earnest (down payment) of the Spirit, which is
the nature and mind of God by which we are begotten (2 Cor.1:22),
spiritual growth will automatically take place.
"Bot the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that
ye cannot do the things ye would." "Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal.5:17,16).
Thus we acquire the same mind functioning in our physical
brain as was in Christ (Philippians 2:5).
After this mortal body dies, we will be resurrected with a
spiritual mind and body if we have the Holy Spirit at our death
(Rom.8:11). At our spiritual birth we will have the mind of God
and Christ in full - we will have no mortal mind to bother us any
more! It will have perished with the flesh.
All will have one mind then (Philippians 1:27), and God will
have completed His New Testament covenant with us: "I will put my
laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts ... and they
shall not teach every man his neighbour ... for all shall know me
(Heb.8:10-11).
"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law, is within my
heart (Psalm 40:8).
How wonderful eternity will be!
....................
The RESURRECTIONSThe FIRST ResurrectionTHE FIRST RESURRECTION
From an old Ambassador College study paper (1973/74)
WHAT is the real hope of the true Christian? Will he spend
eternity lounging in idleness and ease? Or will the resur-
rected, newborn Christian spend eternity in happy, but
productive, activity - faithfully serving his Creator?
Most professing Christians have a rather foggy idea of what
future life in the Kingdom of God will be like. They know very
little about biblical teaching concerning the "resurrection of
the dead" - yet this is one of the basic doctrines of the Bible
(Heb-6:2).
But do you realize you can know what it will be like in the
next life? The Prophet Isaiah wrote: "Since the beginning of the
world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath
the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him
that waiteth for him" (Isa.64:4).
But the Apostle Paul explained that a Christian can
comprehend what God has prepared for those that love Him - "But
God hath revealed them unto us [true believers] by his Spirit:
for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God"
(I Cor.2:9,10). Many scriptures speak of this "mystery" (Rom.
16:25; Eph.3:3,5,9; Rev.10:7).
Satan has deceived the whole world on this all-important
subject of the resurrection of the dead (Rev.12:9). Many
scriptures reveal that the whole world is in darkness, igno-
rance and superstition.
The plain Bible teaching on the subject of the resurrection(s)
has been submerged in darkness for many centuries. There are no
Bible commentaries or dictionaries to which you can go to get the
truth on this subject. Invariably, you are given a noxious
mixture of truth and error - light and darkness - and wind
up confused if you believe what the so-called authorities tell
you. But it is high time for professing a Christians to go
directly to the Word of God to learn the real, unadulter-
ated truth.
How deceived has the world become on this vital subject of
the resurrections?
A common misbelief is expressed in the 1972 edition of The
World Book Encyclopedia: "Most Christians believe that on the
last day of the world all the dead will come to life. They call
the day, Judgment Day, because God will judge everyone"
("Resurrection," XVI, p.245).
Some believe that at death their "souls" go immediately to
heaven, purgatory, limbo or hell.
"The Westminster Shorter Catechism (question xxxvii.) states the
doctrine that the bodies of the dead rest in their graves till
the resurrection, but that their souls do immediately pass into
glory [heaven]. This was the view of the Reformers" ("Death," The
New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 1911, p.
382).
According to this teaching the "body" must rest in the grave
till the "soul" can be reunited with it at the resurrection.
If the righteous are already in heavenly bliss, is it
logical to think that they would be made to return to this earth
to be reunited with their earthly "bodies"?
It is time to strip off the scales of paganism from our eyes
and look at the plain truth revealed in the Bible.
There are numerous references in the Old Testament to the
resurrection, but only the Prophet Daniel begins to hint that
there might be more than one resurrection.
Daniel wrote: "And many of them hat sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, ad some to shame and
everlasting contempt [or abhorrence]" (Dan.2:2).
This verse does not say that those resurrected to
"everlasting life" and those resurrected to "shame" will both
come up at the same time - in the same resurrection. That is what
many have mistakenly assumed.
Jesus Christ said: ". . . The hour is coming, in the which all
that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come
forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life
[eternal]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of
damnation [judgment]" (John 5:28,29).
But note that Christ did not say that those who had done
"good" would be resurrected at the same time with those who had
done "evil."
The Apostle Paul, when he was speaking before Felix, the
governor of Judea, said that he had "hope toward God" of a
resurrection, in which, affirmed Paul, the Jews also believed. He
plainly told Felix "that there shall be a resurrection of the
dead, both of the just and unjust" (Acts 24:15). As Paul
"reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come,"
the unjust Felix trembled (verse 25). Paul did not say the just
and the unjust would rise up at the same time.
This same apostle wrote at length regarding the
resurrection(s) in 1 Corinthians 15. "For as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his
own order. Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are
Christ's at his [second] coming. Then cometh the end..." (verses
22-24).
Now if one turns to the twentieth chapter of Revelation, he
can see what is meant by "the end." Paul was referring to the end
of the one-thousand-year reign of Christ and the saints on this
earth. It will not be until sometime after the thousand years are
over that the second resurrection occurs (see Rev.20:7-12).
Jesus Christ is depicted in Revelation 19:11-21 as coming on
"a white horse' and then "he shall [in the future] rule them [the
nations] with a rod of iron" (verse 15).
The resurrected saints (joined by the living saints) will be
caught up to meet Christ in the air at His second coming, and
they as kings and priests will "reign on the earth" (Rev.5:10).
To these saints Christ promises: "He that overcometh, and keepeth
my works ... to him will I give power over the nations: and he
shall rule I them [under Christ] with a rod of iron ..." (Rev.
2:26, 27).
The Time Element.
But when and how will these glorified, then-made immortal
saints rule with Christ? And for how long?
The Apostle John was inspired to give the answer: "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 ...and they
lived and reigned [ruled] with Christ a thousand years" (Rev.
20:4).
John, in vision, saw those who had been beheaded now
resurrected (at Christ's triumphal second coming) and given
governing positions or "judgment."
Paul gives more details of this glorious resurrection of the
saints: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even
so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.... For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead
in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thes.
4:14-17).
Note that it does not say the saints will go to "heaven" to
meet Christ, but that He will come (probably billions of miles)
from "heaven" to the atmosphere of this earth, and the saints
will rise to meet Him "in the air."
Now notice a prophecy back in Zechariah which shows where
Christ and the saints will go-after this rendezvous in the air:
"And his feet [the Lord's - verse 1] shall stand in that day upon
the mount of Olives..." (Zech.14:4).
At this time will Christ be alone? "...And the Lord my God
[wrote Zechariah] shall come, and all the saints with thee"
(verse 5). But where will Christ go? Back to heaven with the
saints? "And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that
day shall there be one Lord, and his name one" (verse 9).
It should not amaze us to find the Christ will return to
stand on the Mount of Olives. Nearly two thousand years ago, His
angels told the disciples that Christ would return to this earth
just as He left it - and He had been standing talking with His
disciples atop Mount Olivet just before this promise was given
(Acts 1:4-12).
The Apostle Paul also spoke of Christ's coming at the "last
trump" - the time when He will gather His saints unto Himself.
"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality" (1 Cor.15:50-53).
These and other scriptures show that it is only the just,
the righteous (dead), who are resurrected at Christ's second
coming.
John shows that those who had been martyred will be raised
to life and to a position of rulership during the thousand-year
rule of Christ. But the unjust dead will not be resurrected until
the end of this period: "But the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were finished. This [referring to those
martyred - verse 4] is the FIRST resurrection. Blessed and holy
is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the
second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and
of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Rev.20:5,
6).
Then, after the thousand years are expired, Satan goes out
to stir up more trouble on this earth. And it is still some time
later before the Great White Throne Judgment takes place - at
which the others who are still dead (years after the millennium
has ended) are made to "stand before God" in the SECOND
resurrection - when they will have their first chance.
Your Guarantee.
What is your guarantee that you will be resurrected when
Christ returns to this earth? How can you make sure you will be
in the first resurrection to immortality?
It is "they who are Christ's at his coming" who will be in
the first resurrection (I Cor.15:23).
But who are "Christ's"? Paul said: "Now if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom.8:9).
It is only those who are filled and led by the Spirit of God
who will be in the first resurrection. "For as many as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the [begotten] sons of God" (verse
14).
God's Spirit in us is like a seed that is developing into
godly character.
Paul continues: "But if the Spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from
the dead shall also quicken [make alive] your mortal bodies by
[the power of] his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (verse 11).
There it is! If we have the indwelling presence of the Holy
Spirit in us when we die, then we will be resurrected through the
power of that same Spirit - at the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Paul then explains that we are earnestly waiting for that time
when we shall be born as spiritual beings into the family of God.
Remember, Christ said: "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7).
Paul explained this soon-coming new birth: "For the earnest
expectation of the creature [man] waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God" (Rom.8:19). That is what the true Christian
waits for - earnestly longing for the time when he will be born
into the family of God - as a divine, glorified son of God.
He continues: "... Even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption [sonship], to wit [in other words], the
redemption of our body" (verse 23).
What did he mean by "the redemption of our body"? Paul
begins to explain in the book of Philippians. By way of
background he mentions that he gave up everything in order to
serve Christ and became willing to suffer "the loss of all
things" (Phil.3:7,8). Why? "That I may know him, and the power of
his resurrection ... If by any means I might attain unto the
resurrection of the dead" (verses 10,11).
He then went on to explain that "our conversation
[citizenship] is in heaven ..." (verse 20).
And it is from there - from heaven - that we "look for the
Saviour." Who [meaning Christ] shall change our vile body, that
it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the
working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto
himself" (verses, 20,21).
This redemption of the body - this change from mortal flesh
to a spiritual body - is the only hope held out to the Christian.
What Will We Be Like? W
What kind of bodies will we have in the resurrection? We
will be divested of our "natural" bodies and will put on
"spiritual" bodies. "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a
spiritual body" (I Cor.15:44).
But what will "a spiritual body" be like?
If we can know what kind of body Christ had after His
resurrection, then we can also know what kind of a spiritual body
we will have in the resurrection.
The Apostle John tells us: "Beloved, now are we the
[begotten] sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;
for we shall see him as he is" (I John 3:2).
What kind of body did Jesus have after His resurrection?
He appeared repeatedly after He was risen. " .. He showed himself
alive after his passion [suffering] by many infallible proofs,
being seen of them forty days ..." (Acts 1:3). He was seen by
Peter, by the twelve, and by "above five hundred brethren at
nice .... After that, he was seen of James; then of all the
apostles," He was seen by numerous women, and lastly by the
Apostle Paul (I Cor.15:5-8).
After His resurrection, Christ was, generally speaking,
easily recognized. Christ met with the two Marys. "And they came
and held him by the feet, and worshipped him" (Matt.29:9).
Doubting Thomas even felt Christ's side and the nail prints
in His hands to prove to himself that Jesus was real - and not an
apparition (John 20:24-29).
On another occasion He appeared suddenly in the midst of the
disciples: "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed
that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them.... Behold my
hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a
spirit bath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke
24:37-39). Christ had a glorified, spiritual body, but He was not
"a spirit."
Then the disciples gave Christ "a piece of broiled fish, and
of an honeycomb. And he took it and did eat before them" (verses
42, 43).
Notice also that Christ spoke of drinking in the soon-coming
Kingdom of God: "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until
the kingdom of God shall come" - (Luke 22;18).
So Jesus Christ manifested Himself in a physical form after
His resurrection. He could suddenly appear to the disciples when
they were assembled behind closed doors (John 20:19). He could
also just "vanish" out of their sight (Luke 24:31).
Furthermore, Christ could travel astronomical distances at
lightning speeds - probably at the speed of thought. It was on
the first day of the week that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene,
but she was commanded: "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended
to my Father..." (John 20:17).
Later that same day, the two Marys did touch Him ("held him
by the feet" - Matt. 28:9), thereby proving that He had travelled
to heaven and back that same day.
If human beings were able to travel at the speed of light
(186,000 miles per second), it would take them more than four
years to travel to the nearest star. (And the Bible implies that
heaven is further away.) Yet Christ could flash to heaven and
back - undoubtedly at the speed of thought - annihilating time
and space!
How can spiritual beings travel through space at such
fantastic speeds? We simply do not know. But they can,
nonetheless.
Once the saints have been glorified by a resurrection from
the dead, they will not have to eat for sustenance; but just as
Christ ate after His resurrection, so will the saints. Why will
they eat? Probably solely for pleasure.
Let us notice further what we will be like in the
resurrection. The Sadducees "which deny that there is any
resurrection" asked Christ a trick question: "Therefore in the
resurrection whose wife of them is she? For seven [brothers] had
her to wife" (Luke 20:33).
Christ answered: ". .. They which shall be accounted worthy
to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither
marry, nor are given in marriage" (verse 35).
He didn't say that there would not be sex differences in the
appearance of "men" and "women." But there will be no sexual
function of reproduction in the resurrection.
Can those who are resurrected be killed? "Neither can they
die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the
children of God, being the children of the resurrection" (verse
36).
Where did the Sadducees go wrong in their reasoning? Christ
told them: "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power
of God" (Math.22:29).
If people really understood the Word of God better, and if
they understood how powerful God is, then they would realize that
it is very easy for Him to resurrect "all that are in the
graves."
In the resurrection we shall be "as the angels of God in
heaven" (verse 30). Christ did not say we would be angels, but we
will be like angels in that we will be immortal and will possess
powers and glory now only shared by God and the holy angels.
(I must add here, that when we say the angels are immortal, as Christ
said we would never die but be equal to the angels, we are NOT saying
that angels have "inherent" immortality. God is the only one that has
immortality as part of His very being, inherent [you may like to look
up that word in your dictionary]. Immortality is part of the very nature
of God, He did not find it, have it given, it is part of Him as much as
holiness and perfectness is, it belongs to Him in His very being. It is true
to say that God CANNOT "will" Himself to die or into destruction, He cannot
kill Himself. Immortality is inherent in God, He is from everlasting to
everlasting. But God can WILL that other beings He creates can live forever,
never die. He has so willed that the angels shall never die; in that sense
they are immortal. God could have willed Himself to destroy them, some day,
or any time He sees fit. But no, God has not willed Himself to do that, He
did will Himslef that angels once created, would live forever. So we must
differentiate between having immortality "inherent" like God has, and
immortality given to others by God. Angels and us humans fall into the
latter category, immortality was given to angels at their creation,
immortality will be given to us the saints in a resurrection or instant
change as 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 teaches. God is
the only one with inherent immortality - 1 Timothy 6:16. So Jesus taught
us that in the resurrection we humans would be equal to the angels in that
we would never again die - Keith Hunt)
No, we will not be angels, but we will be the literal
"children of God." The Bible shows that angels are sons of God by
creative fiat but they are not and can never become the actual
begotten and finally born sons of God. But we are to be born of
God - born into His family. Then the resurrected, glorified,
immortalized saints will live in eternal happiness for ever and
ever: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain ..." (verse,l).
These sons of God, then born into the very God family, will
"inherit ALL THINGS: and I will be his God, and he shall be my
son" (verse 7). Will they ever have to suffer any more evil
trials? "And there shall be no more curse ... and his servants
shall serve him" (Rev.22:3).
What will they do throughout eternity? Just sit back and
bask in idleness, ease and luxury, and lapping up never-ending
rivers of pleasures?
No, they will be busy. "...And they shall reign [rule or
govern[ for ever and ever" (verse 5). And remember. "his servants
shall serve him" - throughout all eternity (verse 3). Then will
came to pass the inspired words of Hebrews 2:8: "Thou hast put
all things under his [man's] feet. For in that he put all in
subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him."
We should strive to be in the "first resurrection" (Rev.
20:6).
It is spoken of as "a better resurrection" (Heb.11:35).
Those who rise in that resurrection will be wonderfully blessed
of God!
.....................
Entered on this Website January 2008
Next is "The Second Resurrection."
THE RESURRECTIONSThe SECOND ResurrectionTHE RESURRECTIONS
From the Ambassador College study paper of 1973/74
THE SECOND RESURRECTION
FORMER Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said before the
American Congress: "He must indeed have a blind soul who cannot
see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here
below."
What is that purpose which the Creator is working out on
this earth among mere mortals?
We have seen in previous articles in this series that man's
only hope is the resurrection. Also, we saw biblical proof that
man is mortal - not immortal - and that he can only receive
immortality as a gift from God by a resurrection from the dead.
Furthermore, we saw that the Bible clearly reveals there is
to be MORE than ONE resurrection. There is an orderly plan
whereby different ones are to be resurrected at different times
"But every man [will be resurrected] in his own order..." 1 Cor.
15:23). There will be a proper "order' of succession of
resurrections.
The true faithful Christians will be the first raised to
life, and the will be resurrected to immortality at the second
coming of Christ (see 1 Cor.15:49-53: 1 Thes.4:14-17).
Resurrection of the Unjust.
But what about all those who are not resurrected at the
second coming of Jesus? Will they remain forever dead or will God
also resurrect them all at later date? And will they be raised
back to life merely to be flung into the lake of fire? What about
all the unsaved multitudes reared under Communistic atheism, who
have no Bibles, and have never heard the name of Christ or
understood the gospel?
Some say these multitudes will have a second chance. But
have they really ever had a FIRST chance to know Jesus Christ as
Saviour?
Revelation 20:5 begins to give the answer. "But the rest of
the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
This is the first resurrection."
The expression "this is the first resurrection" refers back
to those in verse four who are raised to immortality at Christ's
coming to become rulers with Him as kings and priests on the
earth during the millennium.
Many have made the mistake of thinking there will be only
one resurrection - when both wicked and righteous will rise in
judgment to be either rewarded or punished. But Revelation 20:5
plainly brands this an error. As a matter of fact, nowhere does
the Bible say that God will resurrect all the dead in the same
resurrection.
True, the Apostle Paul affirmed "that there shall be a
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust" (Acts
24:15).
And Jesus Christ said: "... For the hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall
come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of
LIFE [eternal]; and they that have done evil, unto the
resurrection of damnation [or, better translated, judgment]"
(John 5:28,29).
But let us not fall into the common error of assuming that
Paul and Christ meant the "just" and the "unjust" would be
resurrected at the same time.
We have seen that the Apostle John wrote of a "first
resurrection" and a "second resurrection." So where does that
leave us?
Since all the "just" or righteous dead are resurrected at
the second coming of Christ, leaving the "unjust" dead in their
graves, are all these unjust dead eternally, lost without any
hope of ever having an opportunity to live again and obtain
immortality?
A Resurrection of Mortals.
Are the unjust ones merely to be resurrected so God can
fling them into the lake of fire to be burned up'! What did
Christ mean when He said that "they that have done evil will be
resurrected], unto the resurrection of judgment"? (John 5:29).
Who are the "unjust" ones mentioned by Paul in Acts 24:15?
Are those who died in sin really fully accountable for their
actions in their "first life"? Have they ever had a chance for
eternal salvation?
Astounding as it may seem to people who do not really know
the scriptural teaching regarding the resurrections, countless
billions are yet to be brought back to a mortal life to have
their "first chance" to receive salvation.
Think for a moment. Could the untold billions who have lived
and died possibly have received salvation? Have the vast majority
ever had a chance to understand the Bible? Have they, then,
really rejected salvation? No! Many individuals have lived their
entire lifetimes without ever seeing a Bible or even hearing the
name of Jesus Christ.
Are they forever doomed simply because they did not have the
Word of God, and did not know that Christ is the Saviour of all
mankind? What nonsense!
What Constitutes a "Chance"?
Could countless billions of Hindus, Buddhists,
Confucianists, Taoists, animists and others who have not known
about Christ and salvation be held guilty or accountable to God
for not having received that vital knowledge?
Or is it possible that they could receive salvation through
some other person, or by a different way? The Apostle Peter
emphatically answers: "Neither is there salvation in any other..,
for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved" (Acts 6:12).
Human beings can only be saved if and when they learn of
Jesus Christ as their Saviour who died for them, and then accept
that supreme sacrifice in payment for their personal sins.
Christ said: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he
shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture" (John
10:9). He made it abundantly clear that anyone who "entereth not
by the door [Christ] into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some
other way, the same is a thief and a robber" (verse 1).
There is no other "door" by which we can enter the Kingdom
of God.
Can You Have a Second Chance?
Someone will ask: "Do you mean to say that God will
resurrect men back to a mortal life, and give them a second
chance?" No, this is not what the Bible teaches at all.
But the scriptures plainly reveal that the time is coming
when God will raise the "unjust" dead - those who through no
fault of their own were deceived and never understood the way of
salvation - and will at that time reveal His plan of salvation
to them.
Don't forget this basic truth: It is "impossible for God to
lie" (Heb.6:18). And "the scripture cannot be broken" (John
10:35): therefore, whatever God promises in His Word, He will do.
God's Word plainly says: "The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should
come to repentance" (2 Pet.3:9).
It is not God's will that heathen animists, pagan idolators
or other sincere people who may practice a false religion, should
perish. A loving Creator wills that "all should come to
repentance" - in His own time and way.
The Apostle Paul was also inspired to write that God our
Saviour "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the
knowledge of the truth" (I Tim.2:4). He then went on to show that
"there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified
in due time" (verses 5,6).
It is God's responsibility to grant people the knowledge of
the truth. The vast majority who have ever lived and died were,
through no fault of their own, deprived of this knowledge which
would have made salvation possible in their first life-time. It
therefore becomes imperative that God give them their first real
chance to hear, understand and follow God's way of salvation. But
how? By raising them from the dead to renewed physical life in a
second resurrection.
But millions of Christians erroneously believe that when one
dies in sin he is lost forever. Many feel under a burden to see
that Christ is preached to the heathen in Africa, Asia and other
parts of the earth because they think that if these pagans die in
sin, they will miss out on salvation forever.
One scripture oft quoted to prove that a person who dies in
sin is forever doomed is Ecclesiastes 11:3 "...If the tree fall
toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the
tree falleth, there it shall be." This scripture, referring in
context to certain instructions Solomon was giving with regard to
the importance of making the most out of an uncertain and
relatively short human lifetime, has nothing to do with any
resurrection. Solomon does not say that if one, through no fault
of his own, dies in sin, be will never have a chance to repent
and receive salvation.
What Is Judgment?
In John 5:29, Jesus Christ spoke of "the resurrection of
damnation." Nearly all modern translations correctly render this
last word as "judgment" rather than "damnation."
But what does it mean to be resurrected to judgment? Most
Christians woefully misunderstand. They think of "judgment as
only a time when a sentence is passed - rewarding the righteous
or condemning the guilty. But that is a false concept.
Notice what the Apostle Peter wrote: "For the time
[beginning nearly 2,000 years ago] is come that judgment must
begin at the house of God ..." (I Pet.4:17). What did he mean? He
did not just mean condemnation had begun at God's house, the
Church.
Rather he referred to the fact that God is now judging
Christians. We are now having our chance, and we will never have
another. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great
salvation..." (Heb.2:3.) See also Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-29. God
holds every Christian strictly accountable for his actions. He is
now judging every believer according to His Word. But the vast
majority of mankind, to this very day, do not understand or
believe the truth of God. They have been deceived by the devil
(Rev.12:9). And it is God's responsibility to someday see that
these deceived billions become undeceived and are given their
chance for salvation - for He is not willing that any perish!
When Christ said some would come forth in a resurrection to
"judgment," he meant they would be raised up from their graves to
a time when they would learn the truth and have their opportunity
to walk in it. Then God will render a decision - a verdict - for
each, on the basis of how they do.
Judgment of Unjust Sodom.
Some are amazed to learn that Jesus made a number of
statements in which he said that the peoples of Sodom, Go-
morrah, Tyre, Sidon, Nineveh am those living in Christ's day will
all rise up in the judgment together. Mercy will be shown to all,
but the Gentile cities will find their judgment period more
bearable than those who personally heard the teachings of Jesus
Christ and yet rejected Him and His gospel.
Christ solemnly affirmed: "Verily I say unto you, it shall
be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day
of judgment, than for that city [which rejected His teachings]"
(Matt.10:15).
To those cities who saw His miracles. Christ said, "But I
say unto you [people of Bethsaida and Chorazin], It shall be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for
you" (Matt.11:21,22).
Then Jesus warned Capernaum that if the mighty works done by
Him in that city had been done in Sodom, Sodom would have existed
to that very day. "But I say unto you, That it shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment, than for
thee" (verse 24).
Furthermore, Christ made a similar pronouncement regarding
Nineveh: "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this
generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the
preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here"
(Matt.12:41).
Jesus then explained that "The queen of the south [Queen of
Sheba] shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and
shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of the
earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than
Solomon is here" (verse 42).
What did Jesus mean? Just this: The Queen of Sheba, the
peoples of Nineveh, Tyre, Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah will find
repentance easier in their "day of judgment" than will those who
rejected Christ and His gospel message.
Resurrected Israel's Judgment.
Jesus Christ was not preaching a "new doctrine" when He
spoke of the resurrection of the peoples of Sodom and Gomorrah.
It was clearly indicated, if the people only had eyes to see, in
the 16th chapter of the book of Ezekiel.
Much of the chapter relates to the people of Jerusalem
(verse 2). It details their abominations, calling Samaria the
"elder sister" of Jerusalem, and Sodom her "younger sister"
(verse 46). Then God points out that the sins the people of
Jerusalem had committed were more abominable than those of her
sisters - Sodom and Samaria.
Finally, Ezekiel prophesies of the time when the Sodomites,
Samaritans and the people of Jerusalem will all be brought up out
o£ their captivity in death and will finally receive salvation.
"When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom
and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her
daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives
in the midst of them" (verse 53). The peoples of Sodom and
Gomorrah have been held captive in the grave for nearly four
thousand years. But through Christ's death and resurrection all
of those held captive in the grave will be released.
"... When he [Christ ascended up on high [at His
resurrection], he led captivity [death] captive..." (Eph.4:8).
Christ was held captive in the grave for three days and nights,
but at His resurrection He "led captivity captive." He will do
the same for all mankind in due time by resurrecting "all that
are in the graves."
When God resurrects the peoples of ancient Sodom, Samaria
and Jerusalem, they will "return to their former estate"--meaning
that God will place them in the land where they once lived (Ezek.
16:55).
Ezekiel also prophesied elsewhere of a coming resurrection
of all the dead Israelites of past centuries.
The prophet first sees them as long dead in a "valley of dry
bones" (Ezek.37:1-10). "Then he [God] said unto me, Son of man,
these bones are the whole house of Israel.... Behold, O my
people, I will I 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 out of your graves" (verses 11-13).
Then God promises He will put His Spirit in them (giving
them the prerequisite for salvation) and will place them in their
"own land" (verse 14).
Mercy Upon All.
Even the Apostle Paul prophesied of a coming resurrection
for carnal Israel.
Paul wrote: "God hath not cast away his people [Israel]
which he foreknew" (Rom.11:2).
Paul explains that the majority of Israel are spiritually
blinded (verse 7). And who is responsible? "... God hath given
them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and
ears that they should not hear..." (verse 8). Why? "For if the
casting away of them be the reconciling of the world" - it makes
possible the salvation of the Gentiles! - "What shall the
receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" (Verse 15.) Yes,
they are to be raised from the dead and given life by the
God who loves them and all humanity.
Paul calls this a mystery "...blindness in part is happened
to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so
all Israel shall be saved ..." (verses 25,26).
What Paul is saying is simply this: God has determined to
call and choose only a limited number from Israel in this age. He
is not trying to save all Israel now! He therefore calls those
Israelites whom He wills, but allows the rest to remain blinded
so that He can call a number of Gentiles to fulfill His purpose.
"For as ye [Gentiles] in times past have not believed God, yet
have now obtained mercy through their [Israel's] unbelief: Even
so have these [unbelieving Israelites] also now not believed,
that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath
concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon
all" (verses 30-32).
When the Apostle Paul understood the mystery of God's great
masterplan, he was filled with praise: "O the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Verse 33).
God is not trying to save the whole world now! Rather, He
has allowed Satan to deceive the world with his false teaching
(Rev.12:9). He must prove to Satan and to man that Satan's way
produces bad results?
Great White Throne Judgment.
Just what is the Great White Throne Judgment? "The
resurrection of the righteous will take place at the coming of
Christ (I Thes.4:13-19; 1 Cor.15:53), [the resurrection) of the
unsaved at the Great White Throne Judgment after the Kingdom Age
(Rev.20:11-15)." (Unger's Bible Dictionary, 1966 ed., article,
"Resurrection.")
God is great, merciful, loving, not willing that any should
perish. He wills that all come to the knowledge of the truth and
to true repentance. But He knows it is better that most people
come to this knowledge of the truth in a better world than ours.
That is why these people will be raised up in the second
resurrection - a resurrection to a mortal, fleshly, earthly
existence.
Here is how it is depicted in the 20th chapter of
Revelation. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on
it.... And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ..."
(Rev.20:11,12).
"The books [Greek, biblos - books or Bible) were opened"
(verse 12). This means that those raised up at that time will
have the books of the Bible opened to their knowledge and
understanding. And also the "book of life" will be open so their
names can be written in it when each repents of his sins, accepts
Christ as personal Saviour, and receives God's Holy Spirit. Then
they will be judged "according to their works" (verse 12).
Thus we see the "rest of the dead" raised to life, standing
before God to be judged - but not to be condemned, as so many
falsely assume. God will then judge those "unjust" dead, who are
at that time raised to life, just as He now judges His own house
- His Church (1 Pet.4:17). The book of life will be opened so
they can all receive eternal life, if they will!
How thrilling to understand God's master plan which He is
working out here below among mortal men.
...............
To be continued with "The Third Resurrection"
Note:
When one understands the truth about the second resurrection, one
wants to shout with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, for
truly how PATIENT and LOVING and MERCIFUL He is! Yes, He really
does DESIRE that all will have an open and equal and fair chance
to be CALLED to salvation. He really does want all the millions,
nay, BILLIONS, those having lived and died, from babies to the
elderly, who never understood the Bible, or never heard the name
of Jesus.
I tell you friends the Roman Catholic world and the Protestant
world, HAS NEVER TAUGHT OR UNDERSTOOD this WONDERFUL TRUTH of the
SECOND resurrection. Even many of the 7th Day Sabbath observing
churches DO NOT KNOW OR TEACH THIS TRUTH!
There were many truths of the Bible preached and taught by the
OLD Radio Church of God (later to be called the Worldwide Church
of God) under Herbert W. Armstrong. That man and his organization
may have gone off the tracks, and became a one man cult, before
he died, but the fact is, SOME great and splendid truths did come
from that organization. The truth of the SECOND resurrection is
ONE of those truths. Few ministers or church organizations have
ever understood it.
Let us praise the Almighty that He has in the last century made
sure that this truth has been a part of the restitution of all
things. God's truths are marching on, the restitution of all
things is is taking place. You can be a part of it all, you have
the blessing of being able to find the truths of God on this
Website.
Act upon what you are being led to find, LIVE it! Then YOU can be
a part of the FIRST resurrection and be in the Family of God to
teach millions of others about the Bible, about Jesus as Savior,
about the way to salvation. Truly that is the blessing of
blessings.
Keith Hunt
The RESURRECTIONSThe Eternal end of the Wicked!THE THIRD RESURRECTION
From a study paper of Ambassador College 1973/74
HOW MANY professing Christians really know what the Bible
says about the resurrections?
Most Christians who profess to believe in the resurrection
think the "just" and the "unjust" will all be raised to life at
the same time - either to be rewarded or punished.
Some, however, believe the Bible teaches there will be two
resurrections.
But how many Christians know that according to God's master
plan there will actually be three resurrections - not just one or
two?
(Yes, I know today this is debated IF there is a third
resurrection. They have different ideas as to when the "wicked" -
those who have refused salvation through Christ, will be thrown
in the lake of fire, and suffer the second death. The fact is the
Bible does teach that the unrepentant sinner, those who refuse
salvation, will be burnt up in fire - die eternal death - just
not exist ever again. That truth is covered in the studies "Death
- then What? While there may remain some movement for debate on
when the wicked fill face their punishment, I believe this study
from Ambassador College is still the closest to the truth, if not
even right on the truth of the matter - Keith Hunt)
In previous articles in this series, we have seen that the
first resurrection will take place at the second coming of Jesus
Christ and will include only the "just," who will be raised to
life and clothed with immortality at that time (1 Thess.4:1318; 1
Cor.15:53).
We also saw clear biblical proof that after Christ's
one-thousand-year rule God will resurrect those who in past ages
died in sin and ignorance, but who (through no fault of their
own) never had a chance for salvernon - in many cases never heard
of Jesus Christ or saw a Bible in their entire lives. Or if they
did hear of Christ or see a Bible, they were spiritually blinded
(see Rom.11:17).
These deceived billions did not ask to be born into a world
of ignorance and superstition; and since "God is not willing that
any should perish;" it is His responsibility to see that they are
raised up and given a knowledge of the truth (2 Pet.3:9; 1 Tim.
2:46).
Three Resurrections.
The twentieth chapter of Revelation clearly speaks of three
resurrections.
After mentioning the second coming of Christ (Rev.
19:11-12), the apostle John writes that a mighty angel will bind
the devil and cast him into an abyss, where be will be unable to
deceive the nations for one thousand years (Rev.20:1-3).
But what happens immediately after this? The saints who have
been caught up to meet Christ at His return (I Thess.4:3-17) will
then be given charge of this earth - ruling with Christ for one
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 ... and they lived [again] and reigned with Christ
a thousand years" (Rev.20:4).
Those who take part in this resurrection are greatly
blessed, being privileged to take part in the "first
resurrection" (verse 5).
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death bath no power, but they
shall be priests of Gad and of Christ, and shall reign with him a
thousand years" (verse 6).
When do the remainder of the dead rise? "But the rest of the
dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished"
(verse 5).
This verse plainly shows that others are to be resurrected
one thousand years later.
Verses 11-12 (of Revelation 20) describe a coming
resurrection and judgment of that portion of the "rest of the
dead" who never had their chance for salvation. Verse 12 reads:
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books [Greek: biblos, perhaps referring to the books of the
Bible] were opened; and another book was opened, which is the
book of life ..."
When these billions are resurrected, God will open up the
Bible to their understanding. They will be given their first real
chance to repent, accept Christ as their Saviour and receive His
precious Holy Spirit. Their names will then be written in the
book of life.
Now consider verse 13: "And the sea gave up the dead which
were in it; and death and hell [Greek, hades, grave] delivered up
the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man
according to their works."
Here is pictured another resurrection period. Who are these
dead?
What resurrection is this?
Notice that there is no statement that the "book of life" is
opened up to them. Why is the "book of life" not "opened" in
connection with those who rise up in this final resurrection?
Simply because they must have already had their chance for
salvation - and rejected it!
God is not willing that any perish, yet it is not His will
to force the truth on anyone. He will not force salvation down
anyone's throat.
God offers salvation freely to all those who will receive it
(Acts 2:21). And He has made every man a free moral agent - with
the power of volition, the power to choose.
Those who do not voluntarily accept God's offer and follow
that way of life necessary to receive life eternal will not
receive it.
Those who will come up in this third resurrection are the
incorrigibly wicked. They are the last human beings to be
resurrected from their graves - from "the sea" (where they may
have perished in their first life), from death (without burial in
their first life), or from "hell" (a hole or grave in the
ground).
These miserable beings will be sentenced by God - and
executed:
"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the
second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire" (verses 14,15).
Lamentably, none who will be resurrected in this
resurrection will have their names in the Lamb's book of life.
Therefore they will all perish!
This resurrection (which will result in the second death) is
vividly described in Luke's Gospel. A certain heartless "rich
man" is resurrected to a horrible fate. "And in hell [Greek:
bodes, grave] he lift up his eyes, being in torments .... [And he
said,] I am tormented in this flame" (Luke 16:23-24).
The wicked will all be cremated when God burns up the earth,
turning it into the final Gehenna (see 2 Peter 3:10).
But what is the truth of this parable? The rich man is
raised up out of his grave at the very end of the plan of God for
humanity on earth. He has had no knowledge of the passing of time
- "the dead know not anything" (Eccl.9:5). The "rich man" thought
that his brothers were still alive (Luke 16:27,280 but other
scriptures reveal they, too, had died).
He now realized that he had missed the boat; he had missed
out on receiving salvation. There is now "a great gulf fixed"
(verse 26) between him and those who are with Abraham in the
Kingdom of God. It is now impossible for anyone to pass either
way through this great gulf: impossible for those who are
immortal to become mortal; impossible for the mortal ones to
receive immortality.
Jesus said: "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in [the Kingdom of God],
and shall not be able" (Luke 13:24). Continuing with the context,
Jesus then goes on to picture Himself as One who refuses to
answer the knock of incorrigible sinners who have previously
rejected salvation (as shown by other scriptures). In verse 28 He
says: "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye
shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in
the kingdom of God, and you yourselves [incorrigible sinners]
thrust out [not able to enter the Kingdom]."
When the time for the third resurrection arrives, everyone
will have had his chance. Everyone's ultimate destiny will have
been "fixed" eternally. If will be forever too late for anyone
who - after receiving his chance for salvation - sinned
willfully, thereby rejecting eternal life. Those who rejected God
and His way must then reap the consequences of that decision -
the second death, from which there will be no resurrection. How
awful! How tragic!
God Is Just and Merciful.
God is NOT in any scest sadist. He is not willing that any
should perish, but that all should came to repentance (2 Pet.3:9;
cf., 1 Tim.2:4). But those who refuse His mercy, He is a God of
justice and judgment (Heb.10:29-31). He wants (those who leave
Him with no alternative but to put them to death for eternity) to
know what He earnestly desired and wished them to achieve.
So God is going to compel the incorrigibly wicked to see
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
before they are eternally put to death (see Luke 13:28; 16:23).
Since God made man a free moral agent with the power of
volition, man must choose. God will insist that each human choose
either His way or the devil's way, either life or death (Duet.
30:19).
But God will not force any man to receive eternal life, nor
will He arbitrarily consign anyone to death. All must choose, and
reap the consequences of that choice.
What will happen if a person chooses the way of sin and
suffering? "For the wages [reward] of sin is death; but the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.
6:23).
But the Bible speaks of two deaths: first and second. "....
It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment" (Heb.9:27).
From the time of righteous Abel till this very day, even
righteous humans have had to suffer the first death. But it is
the second death that is final - not the first (Rev.20:14,15).
Notice how the apostle Peter wrote that the wicked will perish in
the lake of fire - which will occur at the time when the earth is
burned up and then made into a new earth, where the righteous
will dwell forevermore:
"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word
are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment
and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Pet.3:7).
God has decreed that He will not let this earth be destroyed
until His great master plan for mankind on this earth is
finished.
This time of the destruction of the wicked is uxplained more
fully by Peter. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elememts shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (verse
10).
Furthermore, "all these things shall be dissolved" (verse
11) at the time of the perdition (annihilation) of the
ungodly--during the time of "the day of God, wherein the heavens
being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat" (verse 12).
What then? After the perdition (second death) of the wicked,
God will make "a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
(only) righteousness" (verse 13).
The Apostle John, after describing the destruction of the
wicked (Rev.20:13-15), immediately mentions "a new heaven and a
new earth" (Rev.21:1). He then gives a glowing account of the
peace, happiness, beauty and glory that will characterize this
new earth.
John was taken in vision to a "great and high mountain,"
where he was able to view "that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God ..."
(verse 10).
Notice that this indescribably beautiful city is not up in
heaven, but is to be located right here on this earth. Again, the
Apostle John speaks of the "new Jerusalem, which cometh down out
of heaven from my God ... (Rev.3:12).
Nowhere in the Bible is there a promise that man will, at
death, waft off to heaven. Rather, the Scriptures plainly teach
that the new Jerusalem will come down from heaven to this earth.
Man will not go up to heaven to dwell with God; but God will come
to this earth to dwell with men:
"...Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell
with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be
with them, and be their God" (Rev.21:3).
The Bible is consistent. Jesus Christ plainly taught that
man would eternally dwell here on this earth when He said:
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt.
5:5).
And David wrote: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and
shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace" (Ps.37:9,
11).
But will man only inherit this earth during the millennium.
and then go to heaven? "The righteous shall inherit the land. and
dwell therein for ever" (verse 29).
What will happen to the wicked? Will they, as some say,
spend a while in hell (or in some other place) suffering for
their sins, and then be taken to heaven to live forever?
Long ago, the prophet Daniel spoke of the wicked who would
"awake" in a resurrection "to shame and everlasting contempt [or
abhorrence]" (Dan.12:2).
Malachi also spoke of the end of these wretched beings who
spurned eternal life: "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall
burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do
wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn
them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them
neither root nor branch" (Mat.4:l).
What about the righteous? Where will they be? Daniel said
the righteous would "awake ... to everlasting life"
(Dan.12:2). They will then become glorified sons of God - living,
serving their Creator eternally: "And they that be wise shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many
to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (verse 3).
The righteous will then be made immortal. But in the third
and final resurrection, the wicked will be made to see that they
have scoffed at God's priceless offer for salvation. As a
punishment, and as an eternal example, they will be annihilated
in the "second death."
The prophet Malachi wrote of this triumph of the righteous
over the wicked: "And ye [the righteous] shall tread down the
wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your of your
feet ..." (Mal. 4:3).
Those Who Sin Willfully.
Man's destiny is so great and glorious that few Christians
have ever really grasped it. God, through His Word, repeatedly
speaks of humans becoming sons in the very family of God.
Even God's angels are servants of these heirs of divine
sonship:
"Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb.1:14).
Realizing the "high calling" which God has given us, the
Apostle Paul wrote that Christians should "give the more earnest
heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we
should let them slip" (Heb.2:l).
He then asked: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great
salvation ...?" (verse 3).
The book of Hebrews is filled with warnings to the believer
not to get careless and lose out on eternal salvation. Paul warns
Christians not to let a "root of bitterness" trouble
and/or defile them (Heb.12:15).
But the sternest warning in the entire Bible is in the tenth
chapter of Hebrews: "For if we sin wilfully [with deliberate
intent] after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful
looking for of judgment and fiery in ... dignation, which
shall devour the adversaries" (Heb.10:26,27).
The Apostle Paul then speaks of the severe ("sorer")
punishment which will befall that wicked person "who hath trodden
under foot the Son of God, and bath counted the blood of the
covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath
done despite unto the Spirit of grace" (verse 29).
Truly, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God" (verse 31).
(A word of qualification is necessary at this particular
juncture. Willful sin is NOT to be equated with sin by force of
habit or under heavy temptation. "Slipping," making mistakes, or
occasionally falling down spiritually do not constitute willful
sin. As long as the overall attitude of mind - a living mind-set
- is the desire to want to live and move along the road of
salvation with the Lord; then we have not committed the un-
pardonable sin. In a nut shell the un-pardonable sin is when you
have NO desire to serve and follow God, it is when you in essence
say "get out of here God, I do not want any party of you." or "I
just will not live or follow any of your laws and direction - I
will not acknowledge my sins, I will not repent." With that kind
of attitude of mind the Spirit of God cannot enter a person, and
they cannot be saved. A FULL rebellion against the Eternal One, a
rebellion that will not repent, is the unpardonable sin - Keith
Hunt)
But can a true believer draw back and be eternally
destroyed?
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back,
my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who
draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but of them that believe
to the saving of the soul" (verses 38,39).
We have seen that God is "not willing that any should
perish." Furthermore, God has ordained that there will be three
resurrections: the first, to immortality at the second coming of
Jesus - immediately before the millennium begins.
The second is to take place shortly after the thousand-year
rule of Christ. Those who rise in the second resurrection
comprise all the deceived multitudes who died without a saving
knowledge of the truth.
The third resurrection occurs at the very end of God's plan
for mortal man on this earth. Those who rise up in the third and
final resurrection are those who had their chance for salvation
and deliberately turned it down. God will be forced to extinguish
the lives of those who have obstinately chosen the way of death!
Remember, God will not force eternal life down anyone's
throat.
Now you should be better able to understand what the apostle
Paul meant by an "order" of resurrections (I Cor.15:23). He
simply meant that there would be a succession of resurrections,
various ones rising at different times for different judgments.
Let us remember that our Creator is a benevolent, loving God
who wants to do everything possible for mankind. "The Lord is
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy ....
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them
that fear him" (Ps.103:8,13).
Those who know the truth should strive with all their might
to be in the first resurrection, the resurrection to eternal
life, the "better resurrection" (Heb.11:35).
But those who are not predestined by God to receive the
saving knowledge of the truth now, will rise up in the second
resurrection. They will then be given their first real chance to
be saved.
But those who reject that knowledge and that way of eternal
life regardless of the age in which they were given the knowledge
of the truth will rise in the third and final resurrection, which
will culminate in the "second death" in the lake of fire.
But the believer has a wonderful, eternal future ahead of
him.
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his
God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving,
and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and
sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in
the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death" (Rev.21:7,8).
Your eternal destiny - your future - is up to you! You can
choose the way of God and eternal life, or you can choose Satan's
way of lust, greed, strife and sin - which will lead to total
perdition - to the "second death" in a lake of fire.
Let each one of us make sure that we make the right choice.
..................
NOTE:
Knowing that God has a wonderful plan of salvation. Knowing that
He is a God of PATIENCE AND MERCY AND LOVE, knowing that ALL will
get an open and fair opportunity to accept Jesus as Savior and
obtain salvation, should make our hearts SING WITH PRAISE!!
What a BEAUTIFUL and GLORIOUS truth is the teaching of the Bible
on the RESURRECTIONS. Relatively speaking there will be few that
will NOT want to be in the very Family of the Eternal God.
Give Him praise and honor forever more!
Keith Hunt
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