The following is the fourth segment of a four part series examining the
scriptural truths related to the subject of resurrection. My motive and purpose
for writing is to enlarge
upon and bring additional light to the generally held and accepted theological concepts .The
Christian community at large would say that there is just one
resurrection of the dead occurring tat the end of the age. There would be conflict and argument among
them as to whether it occurs before the tribulation period or after that
prophesied event.
Before considering the
present topic let us just briefly review what has been covered. First we
examined Seventy Weeks Are Determined to establish beyond any question that the ‘seventy weeks’ of Daniel’s prophecy
were fulfilled completely with the advent, ministry and crucifixion of Christ
and the subsequent ministry of the apostles to Israel. This destroys the
concept that the last or the seventieth week has application to national or
ethnic Israel at the end of the age.
Next the subject of Rapture or Resurrection? was subjected to scriptural
exposure to prove that there is no pretribulational ‘rapture’ of the body of
the church as a whole. The central
passage used to prove that erroneous concept (IThesl.4:13-17) is actually describing
the resurrection after the tribulation. The third segment dealt with the
twelfth chapter of Revelation for the purpose of showing that a faithful
remnant of saints will be caught up into heaven just prior to the onset of the
tribulation (3 1/2 years and not 7 as asserted by dispensationalists). Its
title was The Woman and the Man Child. The first twelve verses of chapter
eleven and all of chapter twelve fit to together showing that the large body of
the church will necessarily go through the tribulation and suffer persecution
and martyrdom. Then the resurrection occurs immediately after the tribulation.
This is revealed in verses 11 and 12 of chapter eleven.
The current topic will
now require that we explore the truth that there is more than one resurrection
in addition to the translation of a faithful remnant before the tribulation.
The phrase… that they might obtain a better resurrection… appears late in
chapter elven of Hebrews after recounting at length the demonstration of
faithfulness by a significant number of
the old testament saints. This statement
triggers the necessity of further investigation as to what is meant. At
Revelation 20:6 we read: 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 Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.” The passage is
enlightening for we see that besides these the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were completed. We also see from verse five that this
is the first resurrection. This truth
raises some extremely significant spiritual issueswhich the theological world clearly does not understand and Its
implications are enormous both for Christians and non-Christians as well. The
apostle Paul sheds additional light on the subject at Phil. 3:10-11 where we
read “That I may know him , and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any
means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” The word used for resurrection here in the
Greek has a special emphasis. (Exanastasis-meaning literally ’the out
resurrection from among the dead’). Did Paul question his faith? No, but he
understood that there would be more than one resurrection. He sought to partake
in the one described at Rev. 20:6 recognizing that there was a prerequisite for
that applying to him which he states in the context of this passage. This
reality is completely obscure to those who are preaching today’s version of the
gospel. Paul wholeheartedly sought after ‘a better resurrection’, i.e.’ the
first resurrection;. Today’s apostate church has no comprehension of this
reality.
Calvinistic thinking
totally prevails within the church today with its precepts of ‘unconditional
election’ and ‘the perseverance of the saints’. So if God’s covenant in Christ
is unconditional for those who are among the elect, and there is no possibility
that we might fail of the grace of Godin the performance of faithfulness then there is
no room or reason for more than one resurrection. However, if these tenets
cannot be supported by the scriptures (and they cannot) then we must examine
the truth at a deeper level to reveal the consequences of both unbelief and
unfaithfulness.
Consider the
scriptural evidence for more than one resurrection. Again Rev.20:6 states in
part ‘on such the second death hath no power’ and in verse five “but the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” At revelation 2:26 we read: "And he that
overcometh, and keep my works unto the end (a condition) will I give power over
the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a
potter shall they be broken in shivers…. What about those alleged Christians
who do not ‘keep my works unto the end’, and what becomes of the nations broken
as a potter’s vessel? Moving beyond the judgement (Rev.20) we find much
additional spiritual activity which is ignored in today’s apostate churches. At
Rev. 22:2 we see “in the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the
river, was there the tree of life, which bear twelve manner of fruits, and
yielded her fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing
of the nations.”
The tenets of
Calvinism, part of which have been adopted by dispensationalists (unconditional
election and perseverance of the saints), have been used to effectively destroy
the truths of the scriptures and make
ineffective the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Word of
God. There is indeed more than one
resurrection and every believer in Christ should adopt the wholehearted
commitment expressed by Paul for there are dire consequences for unfaithfulness
and failure to continue steadfast unto the end. God cannot be mocked and indeed
Christian friend it may be that you will not attain unto the first resurrection
out from among the dead…a better resurrection.
David Lance Dean
For a more complete explanation of the content
summarized above there is an entire
chapter in
my book These Prophets and the Revelation. See
authordavidlancedean.com
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