WHEN IS DIVISION GOOD?: PART SEVEN

First, there is a huge difference between someone being raised from the dead, and someone being resurrected. Those who were miraculously raised from the dead to continue their lives as though they had not died, eventually did die. The Bible mentions several: the widow of Zarephath's son raised by Elijah (I Kgs. 17:17-24); the boy raised by Elisha (2 Kgs. 4:20-37); the man tossed into Elisha's tomb (2 Kgs. 13:21); Jesus raised the widow of Nain's son (Lk. 7:11-16); Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus (Mk. 5:35-43); Jesus raised Lazarus (Jn. 11:1-44); Peter raised Tabitha, also known as Dorcas (Acts 9:36-41); and Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20:7-12).

The resurrection of someone, on the other hand, involves them being raised from the dead, never to die again (1 Cor. 15:53-54; 2 Tim. 1:10). Resurrections of the dead did not occurred prior to Christ's Resurrection. Jesus, Who was pictured in the Feast of First Fruits (Lev. 23:10-14), is identified as such in 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23. Following the Lord's Resurrection, the Word of God tells us that "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" (Matt. 27:52-53).

There are two resurrections mentioned in the Bible: the resurrection of the saved, and the resurrection of the lost (Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:29; Acts 24:15). The resurrection of the saved is known as the First Resurrection (Lk. 14:14). The First Resurrection is not a single event, but involves many specific events, which taken together, make up the First Resurrection. These include the Lord and the Old Testament saints raised after He was raised (Matt. 27:52-53), the dead in Christ at the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16), the Tribulation martyrs following the Tribulation (Dan.12:1-2; Rev. 20:12), and although not specifically mentioned in Scripture, it is obvious that those saved during the Millennium will be resurrected as well.

The Second Resurrection is mentioned in Revelation 20:12, and it includes all the unsaved who ever lived. For them, it is called the resurrection of everlasting contempt (Dan. 12:2), the resurrection of damnation (Jn. 5:29), and the resurrection of the unjust (Acts 24:15). With the exception of the Church Age saints who were judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10), both the saved and the lost will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). Those whose names are not found in the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 21:27) will be cast into the Lake of Fire, and experience "the Second Death" (Rev. 20:14).

Tomorrow, Lord willing, I hope to summarize the many divisions of God's Word, and explain the importance of interpreting the Scriptures in their context.