Resurrection

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left (Matthew 25:31-33).

Scriptural resurrection refers to the raising back to life the human body from the grave. It is clearly taught in the Bible. The ancient patriarch Job said (Job 19:25-26), For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God. It is written of Abraham that he died at age 175 years old (Genesis 25:7-8), yet Hebrews 11:10 said of him, for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God . . . concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). King David said (Psalm 16:10), You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption, and (17:15), As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Scripture speaks of 2 resurrections: [1] the resurrection of the righteous to eternal life, which is the 1st resurrection, and [2] the resurrection of the unrighteous to eternal damnation, which is the 2nd resurrection. Jesus said (John 5:28-29), Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth— those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. Paul affirmed this (Acts 24:15), I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. These resurrections will not take place at the same time.

There are 3 separate resurrections in what John calls the ‘First Resurrection’, the resurrection of the righteous (Revelation 20:4-5): [1] When Jesus was crucified, the graves of the righteous were opened and many of the dead saints were resurrected (Matthew 27:51-52). Three days later, Jesus was raised from the dead (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-13; Luke 24:1-31; John 20:1-29). [2] Christians will be resurrected at the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:12-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). [3] After the 7-year Tribulation, those who are saved and martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ during the Tribulation will be raised from the dead. All who are in the 1st resurrection will reign with Jesus Christ in His earthly Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 20:4).

The 2nd resurrection will be a singular event that will include all the unrighteous and ungodly who have died from Adam and Eve to the end of time. They will be resurrected to stand before the Great White Throne of God to be judged, condemned, and cast into the Lake of Fire forever (Revelation 20:5,11-15).

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Amen.

Pastor