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Resurrection |
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It is not proposed to say a lot here as to the resurrection. The Jews believed that there would be a resurrection in the last day (John 11:24). Perhaps this was based on the statement in Job 14:12 where it says: "So man lieth down, and riseth not again; till the heavens be no more, they do not awake, nor are raised out of their sleep." However, Christ pointed out that he himself was the resurrection and the life (the raiser and lifegiver ?) (John 11:25). In the New Testament Scriptures we have the thought that there is more than one resurrection. This is at least hinted at in Daniel 12:2. Christ himself spoke of rising from among the dead, a statement that puzzled his disciples (Mark 9: 9/10), being something they were not familiar with. There were persons who were brought back from the dead in the Old Testament (1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:32-37) and Christ himself similarly brought back from the dead at least three persons during his life here (Mark 5:21-43; Luke 7:11-17; John 11). However, such persons were only brought back from the dead and, no doubt, died again. Christ was the first one to come up on the other side of death. He has an indissoluble life (Hebrews 7:16). Christ was the firstfruits and his own will be raised when he comes (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). The raising of the saints spoken of in Matthew 27: 52/53 is peculiar, but appears to have been a kind of sample resurrection - a witness of what will take place at a later date. Note that it was only saints who were raised. Revelation 20: 4-6 specifically states that there are two resurrections and this agrees with other passages such as Acts 24:15 which speak of a resurrection both of just and unjust. Christ spoke of the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14). He also spoke of resurrection of life and resurrection of judgement (John 5:29). The Lord's people will not come into judgment, but have passed out of death into life (John 5:24). Paul also speaks of the resurrection from among the dead (Philippians 3:11) and in 1 Thessalonians 4:16/17 he tells us of the resurrection and catching away of the dead in Christ. There is no idea of one general resurrection. However, those who are not the Lord's people will be raised eventually as we have seen and what happens to them is described in Revelation 20:11-15. The Lake of Fire is spoken of there and is described as the second death. All those who have rejected Christ will go there. Christ is the great test for mankind and when he is presented and rejected there is nothing further that can be done for those who do not receive him. |
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April 2000 |
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