The Resurrection - Hope of Mankind
  Resurrection in Old Testament | The First Resurrection | The Second Resurrection

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 teaching 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 destiny-and how he is to attain that goal?

Before we go to the Bible, let us briefly see what some of the ancients taught on this subject.

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, I, 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 received by superstition, should obtain the sanction of divine truth from the [so-called] authority and example of Christ" (ibid.).  Christ, by teaching and example, never gave credence to the spurious doctrine of the immortality of the soul.

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.
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 encyclopaedia. 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 soul" (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 neighbour] mortally that he die" (Deut. 19:1 1 ). "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 " (l Cor. 15:53,54). Paul spoke of Christians' bodies as "our mortal flesh" (II Cor. 4:11 ). But he added that the time is coming (in the future) when our "mortality" will be "swallowed up of [eternal] life" (II 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 honour 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" (1 Tim. 1:17). 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 tree gift of eternal life, "is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who abolished death, and hath 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 some place 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" (Psalm 146:4).   This scripture reveals that man ceases to think at the time of his death.
Solomon revealed that "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave [sheol], 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; 1 15:17.)
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 the sleep" (verse 11).

Doc, 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.

Resurrection in the Old Testament  [Return]
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 throe 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 speke 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 Jews 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" (Rom8-11)

Resurrection Taught in Old Testament  
We have already examined the scripture in Psalm 16:9, 10, which clearly show 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...."
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 I wait, till my
change come. Thou [God] shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thy 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 front my flesh] shall I see God" (Job 19:25. 26).
He knew he would some day be resurrected to see his Redeemer.
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 out the dead" (Isaiah. 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 with the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you 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, 0 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 gain." 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: 0 death, I will be thy plagues; 0 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 hath 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 sat down at thy feet; every one shall [in the future] receive of thy words" (Deut. 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 Thessalonians1:13-18).

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 (asleep 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.

The First Resurrection   [Return]
What is the real hope of the true Christian? Will he spend eternity lounging in idleness and ease? Or will the resurrected, 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, 0 God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waits for him" (Isa.64-4).

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. yes the deep things of God" (1 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, ignorance 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 mixture of truth and error light and darkness and wind up confused if you believe all that the so-called authorities tell you.
It is high time for professing Christians to go directly to the Word of God to learn the real, unadulterated truth.

How deceived has the world become on this vital subject of the resurrections?
A common mis belief is expressed in the 1972 edition of The World Book Encyclopaedia: "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 Encyclopaedia 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 that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt [or abhorrence]" (Dan. 12:2).
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).
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 I 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 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" (I Thes. 4:14-17).
Note that it does not say the saints will go to "heaven" to be with Christ, but that He will come 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 I] shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives . . ." (Zech. 1 4 :-1).
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 that 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 shew 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- (I 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 bc resurrected until the end of this period. "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years are 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 described in verses 11 and 12 takes place at which time 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 am man have not the Spirit of Christ. he is none of his" (Romans 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 only  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 int the family of God.  Remember, Christ said: "Ye must be born again- (i 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?
What kind of bodies will we have in the resurrection" We will be divested of our "natural" bodies and will put on bodies. "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body" (I Cor. 1 5:-i-l).
But what will "a spiritual body" be like?
If we can 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 once .... 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. 28:9).
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 hath 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: "1 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.  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" (Matt. 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.
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 4).
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 ser-vents shall serve him" (Rev. 22:3).
What will they do throughout eternity?  Just sit back and bask in idleness 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 come 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"
(Hebrews 11:35). Those who rise in that resurrection will be wonderfully blessed of God!

The Second Resurrection  [Return]
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 the previous articles that mans 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 arc to be resurrected at different time. "But every man [will be resurrected] in his own order" (I Cor.15:23) There will be a proper "order" or succession of resurrections.
The true, faithful Christians will be the first raised to life, and they will be resurrected to immortality at the second coming of Christ (See I Cor15:-49:53; I 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 at a later date? And will they be raised back to life merely to be dune into the lake of fire? What about all the unsaved multitudes reared under 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 forever 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 adifferent 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 4:12).  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 "enters not by the door [Christ] into the sheepfold, but climbs 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.

It is not God's will that heathen animists, pagan idolaters 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 or Saviour "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of truth" (1 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 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 lifetime. 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.
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 non Christians in Africa, Asia and other parts of the earth-because they think that if these people die in sin, they will miss out on salvation forever.
One scripture oft quoted to prove that a person who died 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, he 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 judgement 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 who are true Christians 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!

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 are at that time raised to life, just as He  now judges His own house His Church (I Pet. 4:17). The book of life will be opened so they can all receive eternal life, if they will!