Resurrection of the Dead

This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT subjects in the Bible.

• It is one of the four "major" doctrines mentioned in …

HEB. 6:1-3

• Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ‚ let us go on unto perfection; ... Of the doctrine ... of RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD …

• We say "MAJOR" because learning WHO will resurrect and WHEN that resurrection will take place will make a MAJOR change in your life.

• There are TWO RESURRECTIONS FOR THE SAINTS OF GOD.

• Made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection...

Let’s look at his life,death,resurrection• When Jesus died on the LITERAL cross.

The Prophet Isaiah tells us that NOT ONLY did His BODY die‚ but also His SOUL …

ISA. 53:10-12 ...

• it pleased the LORD to bruise him ... when thou shalt make his SOUL an offering for sin ... because he hath poured out his SOUL unto DEATH …

The SOUL of a person IS that person;

• the body is only a temporary house for the soul.

Why did the SOUL of Jesus have to die?

• The answer lies in the next two scriptures …

EZK. 18:4‚20 ... the SOUL that sinneth‚ it shall DIE. ...

• Even though Jesus did not personally sin‚ His SOUL had to die in place of your soul and mine‚ in order to win life for us ...

2 COR. 5:21

• For he hath MADE HIM TO BE SIN for us‚ who KNEW no sin …

• Thus‚ the SOUL of Jesus had to DIE on the LITERAL cross. Jesus Himself spoke of this fact when He was warned of Herod's intention to kill Him …

LK. 13:31-33 ...

• Nevertheless I must walk to day‚ and to morrow‚ and the day following: for it cannot be that A PROPHET PERISH out of Jerusalem.

• The word "PERISH" means "TO DIE." Jesus was sent by His Father to preach to Jerusalem. So‚ as a result of His preaching‚ that city would have to either REPENT‚ or rise up and KILL Him.

THEY CHOSE DEATH‚

• both for Him and for themselves!

• Matt 27:25

• 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

• (KJV)

• Jesus also repeated this truth to His disciples in the closing hours of His human life ...

MT. 26:36-38 ...

• My SOUL is exceeding sorrowful‚ EVEN UNTO DEATH: tarry ye here‚ and watch with me.

• The understanding that Jesus' SOUL was to die‚ NOT just His body‚ throws a different light on His death…

• For years‚ it has been taught that‚ on the cross‚ the SOUL of Jesus departed to PREACH TO THE SOULS OF UNREPENTANT DEAD PEOPLE. The scripture used to make this point was ...

1 PT. 3:18-20

• For Christ also hath once suffered for sins‚ the just for the unjust ... BEING PUT TO DEATH IN THE FLESH‚ BUT QUICKENED BY THE SPIRIT: By which also he went and PREACHED UNTO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON …

• It is now understood that.

• This scripture was FULFILLED DURING the ministry of Jesus‚ NOT after His death on the cross! The prophet Isaiah described the purpose of the ministry of Jesus during the 3-1/2 years that He preached on this earth. We read in ...

ISA. 42:6-7

• ...To open the blind eyes‚ to bring out the PRISONERS from the PRISON‚ and them that sit in DARKNESS out of the PRISON HOUSE.

• Also in ...

ISA. 61:1

• The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me ... to proclaim LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES‚ and the opening of the PRISON to them that are bound.

• We see in these scriptures that one of the purposes of Jesus' ministry was to FREE people from PRISON‚ but there is NO evidence that He EVER EVEN VISITED a natural prison during His ministry!

• This next scripture shows that Jesus came to free people from religious prisons….

LK. 4:16-21

• ... as his custom was (Jesus) went into the SYNAGOGUE on the sabbath day‚ and stood up for to read ... The Spirit of the Lord is upon me ... to preach deliverance to the CAPTIVES ... THIS DAY is this scripture FULFILLED in your ears.

Jesus read from Isa. 61:1‚

• where it was prophesied that He would OPEN THE PRISON and FREE THE CAPTIVES‚ and said it was FULFILLED THAT DAY‚ as He read IN the SYNAGOGUE!

• So it is clear that the PRISON HOUSES were the religious sects of Israel‚ and the natural Jews were being held CAPTIVE by the traditions of men taught to them by their elders.

• Also understand that the SPIRITS IN PRISON to whom Jesus preached were the people in Israel who were ALIVE NATURALLY‚ but DEAD SPIRITUALLY.

• Consider this next scripture …

Matt 8:19-22

• 19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest...

• 21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

• 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

• (KJV)

• These were the "DEAD" to whom Jesus preached to.

• NOT the natural dead in the natural graveyard! He makes this very clear in ...

JN. 5:24-25

• ... The hour is coming‚ and NOW IS‚ when the DEAD shall HEAR the voice of the Son of God: and ... shall LIVE.

• Israel was DEAD IN SIN‚ but through the words of Jesus they would have an opportunity to COME ALIVE to righteousness!

The old testament saints

• ...were righteous men and women that had a knowledge of a NATURAL resurrection‚ for we see this in ...

HEB. 11:22

• By FAITH Joseph‚ when he died‚ made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his BONES.

Why did Joseph ask this?

• He knew that God would not visit Egypt. He believed that God would visit Canaan.

• His request shows us that there is no resurrection in Egypt, only in Canaan.

• (Our religious ways and ideas will not get us into heaven, we must leave them behind)

Note:

• the Old Testament saints who lived up to as much of the law of Moses as was possible died without the baptism of the Holy Ghost ....

HEB. 11:35-40

• ... these all‚ having obtained a good report through faith‚ RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE: God having provided some BETTER thing for us‚ that they without us should not be MADE PERFECT.

• The saints of the Old Testament looked forward to a NATURAL resurrection. They died in faith‚ believing that God would raise them up. Job spoke of this time ...

JOB 19:25-27

• 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 was speaking of his OWN destiny‚ but we see that Isaiah reached out and also included those of the righteous line of the Old Testament dispensation‚ for he said ...

ISA. 26:19

• Thy dead men (Israel) 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.

• Jesus went even further and spoke of certain prophets who would DEFINITELY come up in that number ...

MT. 8:11-12

• ... many shall come from the east and west‚ and shall sit down with ABRAHAM‚ and ISAAC‚ and JACOB‚ in the kingdom of heaven. ...

• Jesus said they would resurrect from natural death to natural life, so

• they might obtain that better thing/ better resurrection...

Heb 11:35

• again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

• (KJV)

• This is why Jesus said what He did to Martha‚ when she replied bitterly ...

JN. 11:20-26

• ... I know that he (Lazarus) shall rise again in the resurrection at the LAST DAY. Jesus said unto her‚ I AM THE RESURRECTION‚ AND THE LIFE ... whosoever liveth and believeth in me SHALL NEVER DIE. ...

• Jesus was telling Martha the LAST DAYS HAD ARRIVED‚ and that HE had the power to not only raise the NATURAL dead‚ but those who were SPIRITUALLY dead as well!

• This was verified after his crucifixion and resurrection‚ when the saints of the Old Testament arose from the natural grave‚ as we see in ...

MT. 27:50-53

• ... And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept AROSE‚ And came OUT OF THE GRAVES after his resurrection‚ and went into the holy city and appeared unto many.

WHY did they have to resurrect naturally? • So they could receive the baptism of the

Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.

• Acts 2:38

• The SPIRITUAL resurrection of those Old Testament saints would begin at that point (when they received the Holy Ghost). Then they had to sit down under the five-fold ministry of the Early Rain Church and be MADE PERFECT.

• By receiving the Holy Ghost baptism and the truth of God's word is it possible to attain the FIRST RESURRECTION.

What IS the first resurrection?

• Jesus talked of it like this...

• Matt 22:30

• 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

• (KJV)

More detailed ...

• It is a SPIRITUAL resurrection which prepares 144‚000 people to be the Bride of Jesus Christ. This resurrection BEGINS when we receive the Holy Ghost baptism‚ and will be COMPLETED when we become PERFECT(mature) and qualify for the Bride. John speaks of it in this way ...

REV. 20:4-6

• ... 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.

• Paul the apostle preached this as the GOAL of his life ...

PHIL. 3:10-14

• ... Not as though I had already attained‚ either were already perfect: but ... I PRESS toward the MARK for the PRIZE of the HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus.

• And later‚ we see that he REACHED it ...

2 TIM. 4:6-8

• For I am NOW READY to be offered ... Henceforth there is laid up for me a CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ...

This CROWN was another name for a SPIRITUAL BODY‚

• which is the REWARD for those attaining the Bride. This is brought out in different words in ...

REV. 6:9-11

• ... I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God ... And WHITE ROBES were given unto ... them‚ and it was said ... rest yet for a little season‚ until their fellowservants also and their brethren‚ that should be killed as they were‚ should be fulfilled.

• By this scripture and others‚ we understand that the Bride will be made up of the overcomers out of the Early Church as well as the Latter Rain Church. The time of this Latter Church is just ahead of us.

• After the Latter Church has been in order for 7-1/2 years‚ Jesus will come for the remainder of His Bride. He will NOT‚ I repeat‚ WILL NOT raise them up from the NATURAL graveyard! Religion has always taught this point‚ but that is NOT what Paul is saying in ...

1 THES. 4:13-18

• ... Them also which SLEEP IN JESUS will God bring with him ... For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven ... and the DEAD IN CHRIST shall rise first ...

• NO natural graveyards will open when Jesus comes back for the remainder of His Bride! The DEAD IN CHRIST and the ASLEEP IN JESUS are ONE AND THE SAME PEOPLE.

• They are PERFECT OVERCOMERS‚ RESTING under the golden altar of Rev. 6:9-11. They are NOT asleep in the GRAVE‚ but resting IN JESUS‚ alive forevermore! They RISE from RESTING to the POWER OF RULING as a part of the Bride of Jesus Christ.

• Now someone may ask‚ What if I die before I reach the Bride of Christ? What will happen to me? Paul speaks of TWO resurrections‚ with TWO rewards: the Bride will have SPIRITUAL bodies which will not die. He gave an example of this in ...

1 COR. 15:34-40

• ... There are also CELESTIAL BODIES‚ and BODIES TERRESTRIAL: but the glory of the celestial is ONE‚ and the glory of the terrestrial is ANOTHER.

• In a little over a thousand years from right now‚ there will be a NATURAL RESURRECTION which will lead to ETERNAL LIFE for some‚ as John said ...

REV. 20:5

• But the rest of the DEAD lived not again UNTIL the THOUSAND YEARS were FINISHED. ...

Let us make this point clear:

• ONLY those who MERIT a resurrection will come up at that time. NO UNGODLY people will resurrect‚ ONLY those who HAVE had an EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS and have NOT been eternally judged. We can see a PICTURE of this in ...

JN. 5:28-29

• ... for the hour is coming‚ in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice‚ And shall come forth; ... (some) unto the RESURRECTION OF LIFE‚ and ... (some) unto the resurrection of DAMNATION.

This is shown in greater detail in

• REV. 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne ... And I saw the DEAD‚ small and great‚ STAND BEFORE GOD ...

This "GREAT WHITE THRONE”

• is 144‚000 PERFECT JEWS (Rev. 7:1-8)‚ judging righteously on the earth.

In conclusion‚

• let me say a few things about the BOOKS mentioned in the Bible.

Depending on the setting -

• generally speaking‚ the Lamb's Book of Life is a symbolic book representing the Bride of Christ‚ whereas the Book of Life is a symbolic book which shows the overcomers for the new earth.

REV. 20:15

• And whosoever was not found written in the BOOK OF LIFE was cast into the lake of fire.

REV. 13:8

• And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (the Beast)‚ whose names are NOT written in the BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB slain from the foundation of the world.

REV. 21:27

• And there shall in no wise enter into (that city) any thing that defileth ... but they which are written in the LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE.

Shalom...Great peace have they which love thy law:

and nothing shall offend them.Ps 119:165

Scriptures in today’s Bible Study on Resurrections

Heb 6:1-3Scriptures Regarding the soul -Isa 53:10-12Ezek 18:4,202Cor 5:21Lu 13:31-33Mt 26:36-38Jesus’ ministry – and the “spiritually dead”1Pt 3:18-20Isa 42:6,7Isa 61:1Lu 4:16-21John 5:24,25What happened to the Old testament saints?Heb 11:22Heb 11:35-40Job 19:25-27Isa 26:19Mt 8:11-12John 11:20-26Mt 27:50-53The Baptism of the Holy Ghost- the beginning of our 1st res.Rev 20:4-6Phil 3:10-142Tim 4:6-81st Resurrection reward -Rev 6:9-111Thess 4:13-182 resurrections – 2 rewards-1Cor 15:34-40Rev 20:5John 5:28,29Fate of those who do not overcome-Rev 20:11-15Conclusion – 2 books for 2 different people-Book of life – Lamb’s book of life - Rev 20:15 book of life - Rev 13:8(Book of Life of the Lamb = Lamb’s book of Life)Rev 21:27Lamb’s book of Life -