THE TWO RESURRECTIONS

The Bible teaches that due to the sin of Adam, God denied man access to the Tree of Life (Gen. 3:22-24), and consequently, apart from His divine intervention (Gen. 5:24; 2 Kgs. 2:11; 1 Thes. 4:13-18),  all men die (Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:21-22; Heb. 9:27).  But man’s physical death will not last, for our bodies will be raised again to life in one of two Resurrections:  the “Resurrection of Life,” or the “Resurrection of Damnation” (Jn. 5:28-29).  While the concept of a Resurrection is taught in the Hebrew Old Testament (Job 19:25-27; etc.), the word, “Resurrection,” itself, does not appear.  In the Greek New Testament, it is translated from ἀνάστασις (anastasis), meaning “raised again to life.”

This needs a little more explanation.  Unlike those miraculously raised from the dead to live again in their physical bodies, and then to die later (1 Kgs. 17:17-23; 2 Kgs. 4:32-37; 13:21; Lk. 7:12-15; 8:49-55; Jn. 11:43-44; Acts 9:37-40; 20:9-12), both Resurrections involve the raising of man to life in his eternal body.  Those whose names are found in the Lamb’s Book of Life will spend eternity with God (1 Jn. 5:5; Rev. 3:5); those whose names are not found there will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15), also known as “the second death” (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8).

The “Resurrection of Life,” not only differs from the “Resurrection of Damnation” in a “good news/bad news” sort of way, it takes place over a long period of time.  Jesus was the first to be Resurrected from the dead, never to die again (Acts 26:23; 1 Cor. 15:20; Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5).  The next persons permanently raised were those mentioned in Matthew 27:51-53.  Notice the great earthquake, which occurred at the time of Christ’s death, opened their graves, but it was not until after Jesus rose from the dead that they came forth. 

There will also be another group which shall be raised from the dead as part of the “Resurrection of Life.”  At the time of the Rapture of the Church, the bodies of those who are said to be “in Christ,” will be raised (1 Cor. 15:23; 52; 1 Thes. 4:16).  And finally, it appears that the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3-12 will have been Resurrected to die no more!

No one knows for certain what our Resurrected body will be like.

But we do know for certain that it will be like that of Jesus (1 Jn. 3:2)!