Table of Contents
Basics #5: Resurrection of the Dead
The Resurrection begins and ends with Jesus. He is our Hope and without Him there is no hope or assurance. There are a number of components when it comes to the resurrection of the dead. The Bible actually speaks of two resurrections: one for the righteous (the first resurrection) and one for the unrighteous (the second resurrection).
Resurrection Defined
The Greek word for resurrection is ANASTASIS, pronounced, an-as’-tas-is (Strong’s number, 386). It comes from (Strong’s number 450) ANISTĒMI, to stand up (literally or figuratively). It means a standing up again, that is, (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, general or by implication (its Author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth). The word is rendered as follows: raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life
What did Jesus say about the Resurrection?
John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
To begin, He makes it clear that He is the Resurrection, and those who believe in Him will never die. This actually addresses the concept of soul sleep, meaning you go to sleep when you die, and stay in the grave until the Resurrection. We’ll briefly dip into this here, but do study it out for yourself with Holy Spirit, if you haven’t already.
Jesus said, whoever believes in Him would live, even though he was dead. He also clarified this, when He was confronted by the Sadducees who said there was no resurrection. Be sure to read the entirety of the passage to get full context (Matthew 22:23-33).
Matthew 22:31-31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
Jesus made other references to Abraham being alive while he was yet dead. Prior to Jesus raising from the dead, those who came before him were in Paradise, which is located in hell, which had two compartments. One for the just, and one for the unjust (SHEOL; Hades). When Jesus died, He descended into hell (Paradise) and led those out, who waited for Him when He rose from the dead.
Jesus reveals this when He told the Pharisees about Lazarus and the rich man, found in Luke 16:14-31. To clarify, He never used proper names in relation to parables, which means, this is not a parable.
Ephesians 4:8-10 Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)
1 Peter 3:18-19 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison (read verses 20-22).
When reading the book of Revelation, we see numerous examples of those who have died, and yet stood before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9 being one of them).
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).
One more, then we’ll move on: when Jesus rose from the dead, there were others who rose out their graves and appeared unto many.
Matthew 27:52-53 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.
Our physical body sleeps (dies), but our souls and spirits do not!
Baptized into His Resurrection
Romans 6:3-5 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.
Again, we see all the beginning principles are connected. When we were baptized into Jesus, we were baptized into the Blessed Hope of which we await. We are no longer bound to death, because we are no longer bound to sin. Romans 6 does a great job in revealing this last point.
Our Resurrected Bodies
When we die, our physical bodies will ultimately turn to dust, never to be used again. Some used to fret over being cremated, thinking they wouldn’t have a body to be resurrected. In a moment, we will see this is an unfounded fear.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
In short, our bodies, which is flesh and blood, will not be in the Kingdom of God. When God says, He makes all things new, He included our bodies.
1 Corinthians 15:42-45 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the 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.
And of course, when the time comes at His return, those who are alive, will be changed in a twinkling of an eye (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-52).
