Resurrection: It's Coming!

by Phillip Goodman

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The resurrection of the righteous is perhaps the most important teaching of the entire Bible outside of the doctrine of the existence of God. The apostle Paul certainly seems to agree. He says

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 1 Corinthians 13-15

In essence, then, if Christians do not have the very real expectation of a coming resurrection of the dead to life, neither then do we have any basis for hope in a living Christ, and therefore our faith is as meaningless as all of the false religions which fill the world of our time!

But…”now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep,” Paul goes on to say under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:20) And that changes everything. Life takes on a miraculous meaning which is rooted in the Living God. And the future—that is, Bible prophecy—becomes a matter of enormous significance!

Dr. Charles L. Pack (the past-President of Thy Kingdom Come, Inc. ) has been proclaiming the resurrection of our Lord, and the future resurrection of believers along with the other coming events of these last days for over a half century. That theme continues to be the thrust of this ministry, and will be so until it all comes to pass with the appearance of our Lord.

Think of it—Solomon kind of tells us what life is like for those who live “under the sun” with no hope of a resurrection by a God who lives above the sun,

Meaningless! Meaningless...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless...Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever….I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind...I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come…

Ecclesiastes 1:1-4,14; 9:11-12

But we do have a God who lives above the sun and who will raise up all people on the last day.

Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29

Believers and unbelievers will be raised, but not all at the same time. Scripture, in the original language, says that believers will be resurrected “out from among” all of those who are dead. ( Luke 20:35; Philippians 3:11) That means that there will actually be two phases to the resurrection of people—one phase when believers will be raised, and another when unbelievers will be raised. This is confirmed in Revelation 20:4-6 where the resurrection is seen to actually come as two episodic events known as the first” resurrection [of believers]” and the resurrection of “the rest of the dead.”

We saw in Part 1 of this series on the Resurrections that believers and unbelievers will be raised, but not all at the same time. Scripture, in the original language, says that believers will be resurrected “out from among” all of those who are dead. ( Luke 20:35; Philippians 3:11) That means that there will actually be two phases to the resurrection of people—one phase when believers will be raised, and another when unbelievers will be raised. This is confirmed in Revelation 20:4-6 where the resurrection is seen to actually come as two episodic events known as the first” resurrection [of believers]” and the resurrection of “the rest of the dead.”

Furthermore, the resurrection of believers is specifically said to unfold “each in his own order” of succession. There is the resurrection of Christ “the first fruits,” followed by “those who are Christ's at His coming [believers],” then comes the end [and the resurrection of unbelievers at the end of the Millennial Kingdom, Rev. 20:11-15].” 1 Corinthians 15:23-24

That means there will be several phases to the “first resurrection.“ Upon careful reflection on several passages of scripture, we can see the phases of the resurrections:

1. At the time of the Rapture of the church, the resurrection of all believers who have died since the time of Christ, will occur.

2. Next will come the resurrection of all of the Old Testament saints who lived before Pentecost. Daniel 12:13 says that Daniel himself will “rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.” The “end of the age” is specifically said to occur at the time of the harvest when Christ comes to the earth. (Matthew 13:39)

3. Those who have been martyred during the Great Tribulation will also be raised at this time. (Revelation 20:4)

4. What about those who have been born into natural bodies during the Millennial Kingdom, who may die during that period? The implication is that they will be raised at the end of the Millennium.

5. Finally, all unbelievers are raised and judged at the end of the Millennium. (Revelation 20:11-15)

The resurrection of the righteous, then, is our greatest hope for the future. For any of you who are forlorn, downcast and weary, turn your heart and your face toward Jesus now, at this moment. If you have not received Him, ask Him into your heart now, believing that He died for your sins and was resurrected to life so that you too may be raised to life eternal— with the promise that He will personally “raise [you] up on the last day.” John 6:39

If you have already received Jesus as your Savior, ask Him to remind you often that “this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40

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