The resurrection of the dead is one of the foundational doctrines of the Gospel (1 Cor 15:13-14; Heb 6:1-3). So it is important that a believer is not ignorant of the resurrection. In this article I will be looking at both the resurrection, and the timing of the resurrection.
Turning first to the Old Testament we’ll look at one of the most familiar passages on the resurrection as seen in the book of Daniel.
Daniel 12:2
2 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. (KJV)
In Daniel we learn that many sleep, which is another way of saying they have physically died and are in the grave. These shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame.
Turning into the New Testament and the words of Jesus we find him speaking of a similar resurrection.
John 5:25-29
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (KJV)
Here again it must be noted that there are two different resurrections. One is the resurrection of life for those who have done good, which is comparable to the everlasting life spoken of by Daniel. Then there is the resurrection of damnation to those who have done evil, or the resurrection of everlasting contempt and shame as seen in Daniel. Jesus even referred to the resurrection of life as the resurrection of the just where we shall receive our reward (Mt 16:27; Rev 22:12). Paul also affirmed that he believed in only two resurrections, one of the just and one of the unjust, even as the Jews believe (Acts 24:15).
Luke 14:12-14
12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. (KJV)
Even in the book of Revelation we see this idea of two resurrections explained even further.
Revelation 20:4-6
4 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 for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 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. (KJV)
Here John shows those who were involved in the first resurrection though he did not witness the first resurrection, but the scene after the first resurrection. The first resurrection occurs at the second coming of Christ in Revelation 19. It is the resurrection of everlasting life for those who have done good, for those who are a true followers of Christ, both Old and New Testament saints. Seeing that this is the first resurrection there cannot be one earlier.
The second resurrection occurs after the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth. During this thousand year time period also known as the millennial reign of Christ, Satan will be bound unable to roam the earth. At the end of this time Satan will be loosed and he will deceive and gather some people of the earth to battle against the Lord and His saints. God will send fire down from heaven to destroy them. After this the second resurrection, the resurrection of damnation shall occur.
Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (KJV)
We see that all of those who are part of the second resurrection are cast into the lake of fire. This is the resurrection of damnation.
From the evidence provided in Scripture we know that there will be two resurrections, one for the just, and one for the unjust which will be separated by approximately a thousands.
When looking into the timing of the resurrection you probably noticed earlier that I said the resurrection of life occurs at the second coming of Christ. To build upon this more the first place I’ll turn to is the famous “rapture” passage to enlighten us on the timing.
1 Thessalonians 4:13:18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 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:
17 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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (KJV)
Paul told the Thessalonians that all who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord, would not be “changed” or take on immortal, incorruptible bodies before those who are in the grave are raised up. So when the Lord returns with the saints who have died, He will shout and sound a trumpet (1 Th 4:16; 1 Cor 15:52; Mt 24:29-31) and their bodies shall be raised incorruptible and ours will likewise be changed in a twinkling of an eye. At this time death shall be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor 15:51-57). So the first resurrection and the rapture are tied together. They occur at the second coming of the Lord. Read the following passage for further evidence:
1 Corinthians 15:20-27
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (KJV)
Christ became the firstfruits of the resurrection at His resurrection. All others will not be resurrected until Christ’s second coming. At His second coming the end will come (Mt 13:39) and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.
Let me dig a little further into the timing of the resurrection and rapture with the following passage:
Daniel 7:21-22
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (KJV)
In verse 21 we see the beast of Revelation making war with the saints (Rev 13:7). He prevails until the Lord returns in Revelation 19 with the saints which are asleep (1 Th 4:14), and His angels (Mt 24:31; Mk 8:38; 2 Th 1:7). At this time the resurrection and rapture takes place, and the judgment is given to the saints, and they possess the kingdom, even as we see in Revelation 20:4-6:
4 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 for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 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. (KJV)
We can see that after the three and a half year period when the little horn, or the beast has been given authority, or power over the saints to prevail over them (Dan 7:25; Rev 13:5-7), the Lord returns with the saints who are asleep raising them from their graves and snatching the saints who are alive and remaining (1 Th 4:13-18; Mt 24:29-31). This is both the rapture and the first and only resurrection of the saints (1 Th 4:13-18; Rev 20:4-6). Those that have part in this shall have judgment given to them (Dan 7:22; 1 Cor 6:2), and shall be priests of the Lord and kings reigning with Him for a thousand years.
In conclusion, the resurrection takes place at Christ’s second coming at which time the rapture also occurs. It does not occur before the tribulation, but after the tribulation. After the resurrection, which we have seen is the first resurrection - the resurrection of life, those who were a part shall be given judgment, and shall be priests and reign with Christ for a thousand years. This can only happen after the tribulation. The resurrection and rapture of the saints is a one-time event. There cannot be a resurrection of the saints before the first resurrection shown in Revelation 20 because there is only one resurrection for the saints. Search the Scriptures for yourself. Where else can you find an eternal bodily resurrection of the saints? You can’t.
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