In part one of our study of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, we looked at the origin of death, and where the dead go. In this second part, we shall look at the actual resurrection, not only of the righteous but also of the wicked.
Just as “by man (Adam) came death, by Man (Jesus Christ) also came the resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:21). This means that the bodies of the righteous will be resurrected because Jesus who died for them resurrected bodily. Christ rose from the dead, and became the first-fruits of those who die in Him (1 Corinthians 15:20). Therefore, Jesus’ resurrection guaranteed that of those who believe in Him. Hallelujah!
This bodily resurrection of the righteous, (and the coinciding rapture of the believers who will then be alive), will take place at the sounding of the last trumpet. “For the last trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we who are alive shall be changed,” (1 Corinthians 15:52). According to Revelation 8:6, seven trumpets will be sounded. When the first six trumpets sound, horrendous events are visited upon the earth and man. Then when the seventh and last trumpet sounds, voices are heard in heaven saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ,” (Revelation 11:15). In light of 1 Corinthians 15:52, all this means that the resurrection (and rapture) of the righteous will take place when Jesus comes to reign as King, which will be after the Great Tribulation – which believers in Jesus will experience. Our Master Jesus categorically said that, “Immediately after the tribulation . . . they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, the last trumpet, and they will gather His elect, the dead in Christ and the believers who are alive, from the four winds,” (Matthew 24:29-31). The resurrection of the righteous, and the concurrent rapture, indeed take place after the Tribulation.
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Now, just as I earlier stated, even the wicked will have their bodies resurrected. Jesus said, “The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation,” (John 5:28-29). Now, this verse does not indicate when the resurrection of the wicked will take place. It is Revelation 20 which tells us that the resurrection of the wicked occurs at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ and the believers who were resurrected, and those who were raptured. Simply speaking, the resurrection of the wicked takes place a thousand years after the resurrection of the righteous. They, the wicked, will then be thrown into the lake of fire – with their resurrected bodies – where they will suffer for all eternity. But the righteous – in their resurrected and glorified bodies – will live in bliss with God forever and ever. Hallelujah!
Knowing these things, what manner of lives ought we then to live? We should live righteously and soberly, as we eagerly wait for the coming of our Lord. At His coming, which will coincide with the “resurrection-rapture” of the righteous, He will transform our mortal bodies, to conform to His immortal and glorified body. Otherwise, if He finds us in sin, then we too shall be partakers of the wrath of God together with the unbelievers, and we shall end up in the lake of fire with them! Let us also purpose to tell people about Jesus, and that He died for them that they should not go to hell.
God bless you, and may you, in 2022, experience a resurrection of all the good things which died because of Covid-19. Amen.