The Two Resurrections
Chapter 3
“If a man die, shall he live again?” These words appear in the book of Job (14:14), and it's significant to me to find the particular question in that particular book.This is because Job is one of the oldest if not the very oldest book in the entire Bible. In that ancient writing we find a question that reflects a concern of thinking men and women from the very dawn of human history.
The there life beyond the grave? If so, what will it be like? Will it be a purely spiritual existence? Or will we experience a physical resurrection?
The answers to these question have been many and varied. The American Indian, for example, has his “happy hunting ground.”
Some religions teach reincarnation—the belief that human souls indwell different bodies after death, even those of cows and monkeys.
I also have in mind a certain sect which claims that the human soul is eternal and exists in three stages: a prior, present, and future state.
It is also said by some that life on earth is a test period. In other words, they claim that our status in the life to come is determined on the basis of our works in the present.
Finally, we're also aware of other groups who deny any future existence. They try to kid themselves into thinking that when a person dies, he dies like a dog and that is the end. “That's all there is,” they say. “You only go around once, so live with enthusiasm.” “Eat, drink, and be merry.”
I'm glad that believers have better and more authoritative answers then these to questions about the hereafter.
Having raise the question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” Job gave this answer:
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 shall I see God (Job 19:25–26).
Please notice that Job not only believed in life after death, but that he was absolutely certain of a bodily resurrection. He declared“....yet in my flesh shall I see God.
In the preceding lessons we focused our attention primarily upon the intermediate state; that is, the place and condition of the soul between death and resurrection. In this lesson we will study what the Bible has to say about the resurrection of the body.
The Lord Jesus made this prediction:
Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in 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; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (John 5:28–29).
This familiar passage indicates clearly that all men, the wicked as well as the righteous, are going to experience a resurrection. Even so, it has been a major battleground for Bible students. Much controversy has raged over its interpretation.
Some believe that it teaches one general resurrection of all men, the good and the bad. Others, however (who in their view of eschatology see two separate resurrections, one for believers and one for unbelievers), interpret Jesus' words another way.
They say that it was not His intention to spell out the sequence or details of both resurrections. Rather, they maintain that His purpose was simply to emphasize that ALL men, both the wicked and the righteous, are going to experience a physical resurrection.
Who is right?
The answer is to be found in the book of Revelation. Given a vision of a future scene in heaven, the apostle John recorded what he saw.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheadedfor the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped 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.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:4–5).
Note that the apostle spoke of those who “lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” In reference to them, John said, “This is the first resurrection.” But he also mentioned another group who “lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” There will be at least two distinct resurrections, and they will be separated by a period of 1,000 years.
The first company to be raised will be those who will live and reign with Christ during the millennium (see Revelation 20:4). They belong to the group mentioned by the Lord Jesus in John 5 who will come forth “unto the resurrection of life.
”The first resurection involves:
- “the dead in Christ” who are raised at the rapture of the church and
- the tribuation saints, a vast number who will turn in faith to Christ after the translation of the church. Many of them will die during the tribulation period, and they too will share in “the resurrection of life” The apostle made reference to them in verse 4 of Revelation 20 before going on to declare in the closing portion of verse 5, “This is the first resurrection.”
There are, as we have seen, two distinct resurrections. With this in mind, let's look more closely at each of them.
The First Resurrection
Paul told us about the first resurrection in 1 Thessalonians 4 when he wrote: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 who 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 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
At the very moment the Lord Jesu comes for His own, the souls of believers who have died and gone into His presence will be united with their renewed, glorified, resurrection bodies. The apostle spoke of that same event in his first letter to the Corinthians giving us these reassuring words:
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 (1 Corinthians 15:51–52).
I like the concluding words in verse 52, which tell us that “we shall be changed.” I don't know about you, friend, but as the years pass by and I realize more and more the temporary nature of these “tents,” these bodies in which we dwell, I'm ready for that change the apostle talked about.
And according to his testimony in Philippians 3, it's going to be a change for the better. We're going to be like the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Here's what the apostle told us:
For our citizenship is in heaven, for which also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who shall change our lowly body, that it may be fashioned like His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things unto Him (Philippians 3:20–21).
In those bodies, “fashioned like His glorious body,” we shall experience no more sickness, no more pain, no more surgery, no more weariness, no more weakness, and, thank God, no more dying.
WE will have life eternal in bodies that are “raised in incorruption,” “raised in glory,” and “raised in power” (1 Corinthians 15:42–43). Yes, we will be changed. We are not destined to spend eternity floating around in space as disembodied spirits.
Not at all! Rather, we'll have bodies that are real and tangible. And in a way that far exceeds our present ability to comprehend, we will enjoy to the fullest the glories that God has in store for those who love Him.
In Revelation 21 we are given a glimpse into the wonderful future that awaits those who participate in the first resurrection. John wrote:
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and earth were passed away, and there was no more sea.
And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 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.
And God shall wipe away tears from their eyes; and there shall be not more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain; for the former things are passed away (Revelation 21:1–4).
The Second Resurrection
Having looked at the first resurrection, let us now focus our attention on the second. This is for those who are raised, as Jesus Himself expressed it, “unto the resurrection of damnation. ”John referred to this group in Revelation 20 as those who “lived not again until the thousand years were finished.”The second resurrection will involve all unbelievers of all time. It will include everyone who continues to reject the Lord Jesus Christ until they die, and their destiny is sealed for eternity. Yes, even the lost will experience a bodily resurrection. They will be called to stand before God. The Bible describes that scene for us in the concluding verses of Revelation 20.
The apostle John, foreseeing that frightening day, wrote:
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 not place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hades delivered up the dead that were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hades 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 (Revelation 20:11–15).
The Two Books
In this description of that last resurrection, when the unsaved of all ages are raised to stand before God, we see two kinds of books:- those which are referred to as “the books” and
- “the book of life.”
You see, the punishment in hell is not going to be the same for everyone. Although no one is saved by his works, those who apear at the Great White Throne will be judged according to the things written in the books “according to their works” (Revelation 20:12).
It does make a difference now you live. It does matter what you do. It's a serious thing to sin against the light you have been given. As the unbelieving sinner is brought into the presence of God, the One who is absolute perfection, even the best of persons will sense—in a way never before experienced—the depth of his depravity and the seriousness of his transgressions.
In addition to the books of works, the apostle also mentioned a book of life. Some have suggested that since the Lord Jesus Christ by His life, death, and resurrection made provision for the salvation of everyone, the name of every person born into the world is recorded in that book of life.
They say that if he dies without placing his trust in Christ, however, his name is erased from the book of life. They point out that even though the redemptive work of God is sufficient for all, it is efficacious only for those who believe.
Now, even though no all Bible students may agree with such an explanation, everyone who takes the Scripture seriously does agree that it's of the utmost importance for you name to be found upon the pages of that book.
According to verse 15 of Revelation 20, “....whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). I wonder, is you name inscribed upon the pages of that book? Are you sure? If not, it can be if you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Savior.
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Richard W. DeHaan is the teacher of the Radio Bible Class; a radio, television, and literature ministry.
©1983 by RADIO BIBLE CLASS
Printed in U.S.A.
