The Promise of Resurrection

By Gary Stearman on June 1, 2013

Reblogged from  http://www.prophecyinthenews.com/the-promise-of-resurrection/

 

Under the leadership of the Apostles, the church was founded, despite wave after wave of conflict, opposition, persecution and internal strife. In miraculous contrast to all this confusion, the letters and books of the New Testament arose as a perfect complement and conclusion to the Old Testament canon. The very existence of the Bible is a miracle!
In effect, its message is a miracle inside a miracle. And it is built around one basic idea: The righteous in Christ will one day arise to eternal life.

For the last two thousand years, various factions have risen to serve as interpreters of Holy Scripture. They have established a variety of church governments, each with its own ecclesiastical polity. Their belief systems have not always involved correct biblical interpretation. Still, the church has pressed forward in a world that seems strangely alienated from the Kingdom of God. Sometimes in power and zeal, other times in poverty and persecution, it has succeeded even when failure seemed imminent.

Through the struggle, groups of the faithful have risen to perform great miracles before falling back into obscurity. Some assemblies are known by little more than their names: Waldenses, Albigensians and others. On the other hand, courageous individuals like John Huss and William Tyndale are the subjects of detailed and dramatic history.

Many believers established great missionary movements. Most particularly, in the nineteenth century, missions covered the world with the Gospel. But after that, Christians in the millions suffered hostility, along with the vilest and most degrading intolerance, often culminating in torture and death. Russia, China and the Mideast became the killing fields of Christendom.

Christ’s Resurrection: Centerpiece of Our Faith

Over the centuries, Christians have willingly suffered shame, pain and death because their faith never failed. Its spiritual power is supernaturally driven. Its persistence and resolve is the product of the most basic biblical promise: resurrection. At some level, every believer knows that he will live forever in God’s presence, and that he will do so in a resurrected, physical body.

In Psalm 16, David prayed that the Lord would preserve him, then raise him to new life in the era of the coming Kingdom. Then, through the leading of the Spirit, he gave voice to his deep desire by prophesying the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who would come a thousand years later to present Himself to Israel, then to be crucified and rise from the dead:
“8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:8-11).

Here, David is looking ahead to his own rebirth on the basis of the Lord’s future resurrection. Here, Israel’s first king (who suffered so many distresses, setbacks, defeats, personal failures and disappointments on Earth) predicts life, joy and pleasure in his own future. During his lifetime, all Israel must have been acquainted with this belief. But only a few decades after his death, they had all but forgotten his encouraging words.

Long before David, in the days of the patriarchs, Job had once spoken of the eternal life that he faithfully expected. His lifespan of about 200 years places him in the same time frame as Abraham (c. 2000 B.C.), who lived to be 175. Even then, there was the well-established belief that there would be an era in the distant future, when men would be resurrected through the actions of a “redeemer.” This word comes from the Hebrew term for a near kinsman who would pay a debt owed, or a responsibility that required fulfillment. In his anguish, he wrote:
“25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:25-27).

Later, in the seventh century B.C., Isaiah wrote of the future resurrection in the context of Israel’s prophesied birth pangs. In Matthew and Luke, Jesus mentions the metaphor of Israel’s birth as an event of the end times. This would be the same era that Job called “the latter day.” Here is a clear prophecy of the regathered Israel, after many years of trial, finally experiencing the promised resurrection:
17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. 19 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 dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. (Isa. 26:17-19).

As Jesus neared the end of His public ministry, He was given word that Lazarus, brother of Mary of Bethany was sick, even dying. Jesus delayed His arrival for four days. Those who loved Lazarus thought that his death was final, and that Jesus could have prevented it:
“20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. (Jn. 11:20-27).

David, Job, Isaiah and many others had looked forward to the coming Redeemer. That day in Bethany, Jesus had to remind them that He was the resurrection! To forcefully make the point, He then raised Lazarus, who went on to live a normal life until his own natural death came again. At this time, Christ had not yet risen, therefore the order of the resurrections had not begun.

The New Testament opens with the four Gospels. Together, they present His resurrection in a historical context. In this way, they are linked with the prophetic promises of the Old Testament.

Following the Gospels, and beginning with Acts, the deeper theological truths of the resurrection are developed, mostly by the Apostle Paul. First Corinthians 15 gives his heartfelt explanation of Christ’s own resurrection as the first, to be followed by others. The order of the resurrections is key to understanding Bible prophecy:
“20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (I Cor. 15: 20-24).

Resurrection: Jerusalem Saints

As Christ was raised at Feast of Firstfruits, a number of saints rose with Him. Detailed clarifications of this event are nowhere to be found. But apparently, this select group is comprised of representatives of greater spiritual Israel:
“52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matt. 27:52,53).

We know that after His resurrection, Christ preached to the spirits in Hades, announcing his victory over death. We also know that around that time, He led a triumphal parade of the saints to heaven.

Interestingly, King David, fervent advocate of the resurrection, was not among them. Later, in Acts,
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool” (Acts 2:29-35).

Resurrection: The Church

Next in the order of resurrections will be the specific group identified by Paul: “27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (I Cor. 12:27). This event, usually called the Rapture, will come just prior to a time of judgment. (See the passage in Isaiah, quoted above.) Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, links the Rapture to “the day of the Lord:”
16 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: 17 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (I Th. 4:16 – II Th. 5:3).

Notice that this resurrection includes both the dead and the living “in Christ.” This two-word phrase denotes the positional sanctification of the believer. It is never used to describe the Old Testament saints.

Resurrection: Old Testament Saints

Later, the majority of the Old Testament saints will be raised prior to the Millennium, at the time of Christ’s Second Coming. In the following quotation from Daniel, the period indicated as “that time” seems to be the second half of the Tribulation. Among students of Bible prophecy, there is a great deal of disagreement on this point, some including the Old Testament saints with the Rapture, and others with the Second Coming:
“1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 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” (Dan. 12:1-3).

This passage of Scripture seems to fit well with the statement made by Jesus in His Olivet Discourse. In this context, He comes in the clouds of glory at the end of the Tribulation, sending His angels to harvest the elect from their graves:
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mt. 24:30).

Resurrection: Tribulation Saints

It appears that at roughly the same time as the resurrection of the Old Testament saints, we also see the raising of the persecuted saints of the Tribulation. They are specifically mentioned as having withstood the rigors placed upon them by the Antichrist:
“4 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 for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 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. 20:4,5).

One might ask why this is called “the first resurrection.” Certainly, there have been other resurrections prior to this one. The most persuasive answer is that this resurrection is linked to all the resurrections that have gone before it. In effect, they are all taken together and classified as “first.” After this, will come the final judgment and the “second death.”

Resurrection: Millennium Saints

There is little direct prophecy that speaks of resurrection during the thousand-year period of the Lord’s reign upon the Throne of David. Still, we must mention it, since it is generally conceded that life and death will still go on during this era .
Isaiah, writing of that period, mentions that in fact, some will die at that time. Also, as in the Antediluvean era, the span of human life will be greatly extended:
“20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (Isa. 65:20).

Where there is death, there must be resurrection, but not all of the resurrected shall experience glorification and eternal life in the presence of God:
“16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many” (Isa. 66:16).
The end of the Millennium will be tumultuous, to say the least. But we are given very little in the way of detail about its interconnected events.

Resurrection: The Wicked

The final resurrection is commonly held to be the one linked to the judgment at the Great White Throne. As can be seen from the following description, it comes at the end of the Millennium after a great, rebellious explosion of human depravity, led by Satan:
“7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:7-15).

Certainly, the wicked dead are in view here. The great preponderance of those subjected to judgment at this point seem to be doomed to fiery judgment. But with the opening of the “books,” there also seems to be one last survey of a deceased remnant.

Those written in the “book of life” – apparently a small minority by this time – will escape “the second death.” God’s grace prevails to the very end. Perhaps the Millennial saints are included in this group, but there is much uncertainty about this.

One thing, however is quite certain: We who are redeemed will one day rise to walk in glorified bodies just like Christ’s. The dream of every man is physical immortality. Like David, we know that through Christ, we have been given this priceless gift. Paul’s epistle to Titus gives it perhaps its best-known title:
“13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

We watch and await His coming with unshakable faith, and the blessed hope of the resurrection.