The resurrection of the saints. ( Click here for more details . )

Daily devotional study 36 . John’s gospel. Resurrection of the dead.

John  5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.  5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.  5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;  5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.  5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Beloved Brethren as wise virgins and Bible believing believers, looking heavenward, preparing day and night for the imminent rapture or eternity with God.  You must give  utmost attention to what our Lord Jesus Christ said here. Listen to this again.

John  5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

In the first instance our Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the resurrection and life.

John  11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.  11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Secondly, resurrection of the dead means the rapture of saints.

Revelation  20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  20:6 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 of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

1 Thessalonians  4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  

No wonder the Bible affirms that resurrection of the dead is one of the twenty two Bible doctrines.

Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Listen to what the doctrine of resurrection of the dead entails.

God’s Word teaches:
That the Resurrection of the dead is taught in the Bible as clearly as the immortality of the soul. Every individual who has ever lived will be resurrected, some to honour and glory and others to everlasting shame and contempt – Job 19:25-27; Psalm 71:20; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; John 5:28,29; 1 Corinthians 15:12-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; Hebrews 6:1,2; Philippians 3:8-11; Revelation 20:4,6,12,13.

Listen to scriptures that affirms the doctrine of resurrection of the dead in the Bible.

Job  19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:  19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:  19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Psalms  71:20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Isaiah  26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Daniel  12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

John  5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

1 Corinthians  15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:  15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:  15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.  15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.  15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.1 Thessalonians  4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

It was for this cause that Paul apostle during His lifetime prayed earnestly to be part of the resurrection of the dead. Listen.

Paul’s earnest prayers.

Philippians  3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.  3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,  3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

You need to know that,there would be two resurrections.

John  5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

Daniel  12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Revelation  20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  20:6 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 of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

To avoid partaking in the second resurrection at the white throne judgement, you must be wise and do the works of wise virgins.

Matthew  25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.  25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Pause here and be very very sincere to examine yourself. Are you prepared for the imminent rapture or eternity with God? If it happens now, where will you spend eternity?

2 Corinthians  13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Be wise give attention to the unchanging unfailing eternal infallible words of Jesus Christ in the Bible that can not fail.

Matthew  24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

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