This Bible study is about the resurrection of all the dead at the last day.

We will examine certain Bible passages that refer to the raising of the dead at the second coming of Jesus Christ. We will especially consider the points made by Paul in his teaching about the raising of the dead.

Daniel’s Hope of Resurrection

Dan 12:1- 4,13

The prophet Daniel was told very clearly that there will be a resurrection of the dead both righteous and wicked.

For the wicked, it will be a resurrection to everlasting shame and contempt. For the righteous, it will be a resurrection to everlasting life. They will shine brightly like the stars of heaven forever and ever.

Daniel's book concludes with the glorious angel's promise that Daniel will enter into rest until the end comes, when he will rise again to his allotted portion.

Jesus’s Promise of Resurrection

Jhn 5:25-29 11:21-27

Jesus speaks of a spiritual resurrection in which "the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall live". This is not the resurrection at the second coming, because Jesus said, "The hour is coming and now is" when this resurrection would take place. It is the new birth of which he spoke to Nicodemus (Jhn 3:3). Those who are spiritually dead in sin can be made alive through Jesus (Eph 2:1,5 Rom 6:4).

Jesus goes on however, to tell of another hour in the future when "all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth" (Jhn 5:28-29). The mention of tombs shows that Jesus is now speaking of those who have suffered physical death. These, both righteous and wicked, shall be raised, the righteous to everlasting life and the wicked to everlasting condemnation --just as Michael had told Daniel.

The Saducees’ Denial of Resurrection

  Acts 23:6-9, 24:15,21  

The Saducees, like the modernists of our day, did not believe in certain things, one of which was the resurrection of the dead. The sect of the Pharisees, on the other hand, most definitely believed in the resurrection. There was continual controversy between the two sects about this issue.

Because resurrection from the dead is a basic tenet of the gospel -- especially that Christ was raised -- Paul characterised opposition to his preaching as opposition to the doctrine of the resurrection hope. This was no discomfort at all to the Saducees, however it put the Pharisees in an untenable position. Thus Paul divided his opponents and they began to fight amongst themselves.

Denial of the resurrection hope was an error that threatened the early church. The doctrines of both the Jewish Saducees and some Gentile schools of philosophy could influence the church. Paul therefore took a very strong attitude against those who would question the doctrine of the resurrection. Let's look now at Paul’s message to the church.

Paul’s Doctrine of Resurrection

1Co 15:12-24, 35-58, 2Co 5:1-5

Paul very strongly believed in a future resurrection. He wrote to the Philippians about his desire and effort to "attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Php 3:10-11). Paul believed in a transformation from a humble bodily state to a glorious bodily state (Php 3:20-21).

Writing to the Corinthians, however, Paul gives the most detailed argument and explanation in all the Bible concerning the resurrection of the dead.

Paul makes the following points...

• Belief in Christ's resurrection, and belief in the general resurrection from the dead, both stand or fall together (1Co 15:12-18).
• Christ was the firstfruits of those raised from the dead, and we shall be raised by the power of his resurrection (1Co 15:19-26).
• Objections to the resurrection are those of a fool, the same kind of fool who says in his heart that there is no God (1Co 15:35-36 Psa 14:1).
• The resurrection may be understood in principle by likening it to a seed that is sown producing a plant (1Co 15:37-44). The seed scattered upon the ground by the sower is not the beautiful golden field of wheat that later arises. Likewise the mortal flesh and blood bodies that return to the dust are not the glorious bodies that shall arise at the resurrection.
• It stands to reason that, as we have born the image of Adam, the man who came from dust and returned to dust in corruption, so we shall bear the image of Christ, the man who came from heaven and returned to heaven in glory (1Co 15:45-49 compare 1Jn 3:2).
• Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, thus our mortal nature must put on immortality (1Co 15:50-58).
• Our mortal bodies, destroyed by death, will be "swallowed up by life" so our souls, called out of hades, shall not be naked, but clothed in glorious bodies (2Co 5:1-5).

Those who deny the resurrection hope have been known to ridicule the idea that destroyed bodies of flesh and blood can be put back together again atom by atom. However that's not the idea or hope that we hold at all. The last four points in the above list show that the resurrection is not a reassembling of our bodies in their flesh and blood form, but rather a renewing of our bodies in a spiritual, glorious, heavenly, and eternal form.

John’s Vision of Resurrection

Rev 20:11-15

The Bible ends with visions of the second coming when the resurrection, the judgment, and the end of the world will occur. One vision pictures the dead small and great, all raised up from death and hades which they see cast into a lake of fire, as they stand before the throne of Christ. It is fitting that we should read this vision at the end of our lesson, and consider how we shall stand on that resurrection day.

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