Two Resurrections?

Bible Study

Two Resurrections?

1) The Fact of the Resurrection: The Jewish religious sect, called the Sadducees did not believe in a literal resurrection.  [Matthew 22:23] “The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection…” (That’s why they were “Sad, u-see?).  But the resurrection is a Bible doctrine that is mentioned throughout the scriptures from Genesis through Revelation.

A. Old Testament Proof of the Resurrection:

1. Job believed in Christ’s resurrection and his own [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: Whom I shall for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: though my reins be consumed within me.”

2. David prophesied of Christ’s resurrection [Psalm 16:9-10], [Acts 2:23-32].

3. The prophets looked for a resurrection: [Isaiah 26:19] “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 dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

– Also [Daniel 12:2], [Hosea 13:14]

4. Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead: [Genesis 22:1-5], [Hebrews 11:17-19].

5. Several accounts of people being raised from the dead: [1st Kings 17:17-24], [2nd Kings 4:32-35], [2nd Kings 13:21].

B. New Testament Proof of the Resurrection:

1. The Lord Jesus Christ taught a resurrection: [John 5:21,28-29], [John 11:23-26].

2. The Apostle Paul spoke of the resurrection in great detail: [1st Corinthians chapter 15].

3. The Apostle John saw the two resurrections: [Revelation 20:4-6] “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  This 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.”

–Also [Revelation 20:12-14].

4. Christ raised people from the dead: [John 11:43], [Luke 8:52-55], [Matt. 27:52]

5. Jesus Christ Himself was raised from the dead: [Acts 2:32], [Acts 4:10], [Romans 1:4], [Romans 4:25], [1st Corinth. 15:48].

2) The Importance of the Resurrection: The importance of the Christians resurrection is seen in that of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The resurrection of Christ is important because:

A. His Death and Resurrection is the only way we could be redeemed from our sins! [1st Corinthians 15:17] “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

B. His Death and Resurrection declares the extent of power that is available to us as Christians that we will rise also!

-[Romans 1:4] “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

-[Philippians 3:10] “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection…”

-[1st Corinthians 15:57] “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

-[1st Corinthians 15:22] “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

3) The Nature of the Resurrections:

A. Resurrected with a literal body: [1st Corinthians 15:37-44]

B. It is Universal: The resurrections apply to all men, believers and non believers, all shall be raised. [John 5:28-29], [Acts 24:15].

C. The Resurrection is in two parts: The resurrection is in two distinct stages, these two stages are not simultaneous but are separated by one thousand years of time.  One is before the millennial kingdom of Christ and the other is after [Revelation 20:5,11-12].

1. The First Resurrection: The resurrection of the Just: [Luke 14:14], [Acts 24:15], also known as the resurrection of life [John 5:29a].

2. The Second Resurrection: The resurrection of the Unjust: [John 5:29b], [Acts 24:15].

4) The Order of the Resurrections: [1st Corinthians 15:22-24] tells us there is a definite order with the resurrections.  The first resurrection has three parts or three distinct stages and is followed up by the second resurrection.

A. The First Resurrections: (The righteous dead) is likened to that of the laws of a Jewish harvest which has three distinct stages:

1. The First Fruits: The Lord Jesus Christ represents the first fruits of the resurrection [1st Corinthians 15:20,23b] “But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits…”, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.”

–Included in this stage are the saints that arose at the time that Jesus Christ rose from the dead [Matt. 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.”

2. The Harvest: This is the rapture, it is the major stage of the first resurrection [1st Corinthians 15:23c] “…Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”

3. The Gleanings: The Bible clearly teaches that a multitude will be saved during the tribulation, and in [Revelation 7:9-14] we see them at the throne of God.  These are found in [Rev. 20:4], they had been beheaded but were resurrected and at the thrones.

–Some more verses showing the gleanings taken out of the tribulation: [Matt. 24:15-22,29-31,40-42], [Revelation 14:14-15], [Revelation 11:12].