What does the word “church” mean?  Is it a word that has changed meaning over the years?   The word church means a calling out of people such as an assembly or group for a specific cause.  Now this cause could be for religious purposes, but it could also be for any purpose that anyone might call, such as a town or committee meeting.  The word “church” is often associated with a building where religious people assemble for worship.  This use of the word church is used in the Bible for the building at Ephesus, Galatia, Thessalonica, Jerusalem and the ones mentioned in Revelation. 

The church is actually the group of people that are referred to as Christians today, ones who are reborn by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12:13-28.  This is a body of people that are selected during the time (dispensation) after the law was completed (“it is finished” Jn. 19:30), until the rapture occurs (the resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:14-17).  The church is referred to under many names, as the “body of Christ” (Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:18), the “bride of Christ” (Rom. 7:4; 2 Cor. 11:2) and also as those in the “dispensation of grace”.  The seal (proof) of a member of the church is the “indwelling” Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) within the Christian.

The Old Testament has not one prophesy mentioning the “Church Age”.  But one must remember that while studying the Bible one must read what it says and also “read” what it does not say.  There is no mention of the word church until Mt. 16:18 and this word is the Greek word ekklesia which is a verb meaning to call out.  This word is used to depict an assembly or gathering of people together for a specific purpose.

The Old Testament goes from talking about Christ’s first coming (first advent) straight into the second.  This is why the Apostles felt that they were in the “last days” and they were very soon to go into tribulation and then the Kingdom.  Examples of these scriptures are found:

Joel 2:28 and 29, they take us up to Pentecost, but verse 30 goes straight into the tribulation.

Ps. 2:1-4 talks about how the nations together crucify Christ and then in verse 5 talks about the tribulation.

Ps. 118:22 talks about the refusal of Christ and straight into the Kingdom.

Isa. 9:6 from His birth straight to His government.

Isa. 61:1-2 from preaching the good tidings to tribulation to millennium.

Dan. 9:24 from making a payment for sin to Kingdom.

Zech.  9:9-10; Lk. 1:31-32; Acts 2: 7, 12, 17-21; Acts 15: 15-16, etc.

The mystery of the church age, the taking out of the world a body for Christ, the time from when the Holy Spirit started “indwelling” up to the time of the rapture was not revealed to just anyone, it was revealed to Paul (Rom. 16:25; Gal 1:16:  Eph. 3:3).   Paul brought his gospel (good news) to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected his message just the same as they did Christ’s good news of the kingdom.  For this reason the Jews as a nation are spiritually “blinded” (2 Cor. 3:14) as well as the lost are blinded (2 Cor. 4:4).

As Paul says in 1 Cor. Chapter one, when we are sanctified by being called by Jesus Christ who is going to faithfully keep us to the end (rapture) so we can be presented that day blameless (bema seat).  What a beautiful time (church age) we are so fortunate to live so we can have such an opportunity that has never been offered before, nor will ever be offered again.  How long will this opportunity continue?   Paul writing to Christians said in 1 Thess 5:4, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.”  Remember this is to Christians and this scripture is not in conflict with Mt. 16:1-3.  Who was Jesus talking to?  Hypocrites, not Christians, these are among the lost and as mentioned before in 2 Cor. 4:4 the lost are blinded by the god of this world (Satan) who does not want the light (word of God) to shine and light up the “Truth” to their understanding.

What did Christ mean by the statement “It is finished” in John 19:30?  Another term often used for the word finished is “fulfilled”.   Well what was Christ’s purpose for coming to earth as the “Son of man” or as God in the flesh?  When Christ stated that it was finished, He was meaning that His purpose up to that time, had been accomplished.  God’s plan was now completed. Christ finished another critical step that man could not do himself.  Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection has now redeemed man from the bondage of sin.

What was it that man could not do?  Man could not offer an acceptable sacrifice that would permanently cover sin and heal the relationship between man and God.  Without this sacrifice man was doomed by God’s own judgment in Romans 6:23.

God’s ultimate judgment upon man.  God said all are guilty and the sentence is death, Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death. . .” then add Romans 3:23a “For all have sinned. . .” equates, from God’s point of view, all men deserve death.  But this was not God’s purpose for man.  2 Peter 3:9b tells us that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  So God devised a plan to bring man to an acceptable righteous being Romans 5:20b, “but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”  But first the law had to be fulfilled.

God’s plan for man’s redemption began in Gen. 3:15 with the prophecy about woman’s seed.  Over the next 4000 years that one prophecy was followed by over 350 more written concerning the first advent which would bring us up to the time of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.  To fulfill the law there had to be a perfect sacrifice.  Jesus did not have an earthly father, therefore the sin of Adam was not present in the blood.  Because Jesus had no sin then He could be the eternal sacrifice without “any” blemish.

How the Mosaic Law affected man can be found in Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that whatever things the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, (Israel) that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world (the law was given to Israel, but was expanded to every man and condemned the entire world.) may become guilty before God.  20.  Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  also in Gal. 2:16 “for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

The law is by definition God’s character.  To God, the law is just how He is every day.  But for man, who is not perfect, man can never be free of sin on his own.  Remember if one has an earthly father, then he already has the Adam sin nature in his blood.  To man the law is a death sentence.  The law was never a saving tool, it was a judgment tool in that it showed man that no matter how hard he tried, he would still have sin, Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. . .”  Romans 6:23 “For the wages (sentence) of sin is death. . .”.

The law was the “schoolmaster” Gal. 3:24, in that it taught us that we do sin.  Keeping the law has never saved anyone nor will it ever save anyone.  Keeping the law would be saving by works and we know what the Scripture says in Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. 9.  not of works lest any man should boast.”  The action of being good is doing something to earn salvation.  Being good or doing good never saved anyone, Isa. 54:6, “our righteousness are as filthy rags. . .” .  Again in Luke 18:19 Jesus said, “Why callest thou me good?  None is good, save one, that is God.”  Now if Christ was not considered “good” then what chance does man have?  Man does not have the ability to be good and be called righteous by God.  What does Eph. 2:8-9 say?  That we are saved through what? (Faith, not works).  So in conclusion the law just lets us know that we had to have a Savior.

God’s perfect world demanded a perfect sacrifice.  Christ bore all the sins of the world (past, present and future), while on the cross.  He and He alone, could pay the price required by God.  Only Christ is worthy, Rev. 5:4-5, no man could be found that was worthy.   Only the “Lion of the tribe of Judah. . .a lamb as though it has been slain.”   Christ is the only one who had no sin in His blood.  Jesus’ father was the Holy Spirit, Luke 1:35.  Therefore, perfect blood for the perfect sacrifice.  Christ is the only one that would have the qualifications and power to bare every sin in the entire world on His shoulders and He did this at the cross.  “It is finished” meant that the perfect sacrifice had been given.   The Law was now fulfilled.  The prophecies of the first advent were fulfilled.  this part of God’s plan to redeem man was completed.

I understand and even have been told face to face that God is a loving God and will not send any to hell, sheol, hades, Gehenna, lake of fire or what other name you choose for this place. I am telling you right now that this is a given, that if you are not saved then you are unsaved. All unsaved will be emptied into the lake of fire and this is not my word this is God’s word. Rev. 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” All of this judgment has nothing to do with God being a loving God, it has to do with God being a just God.

God being a loving God has offered salvation to the world through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, John 3:16. God has made this offer so simple that when anyone has the ability to understand right from wrong, then they are also smart enough to follow His salvation plan. This is not a plan that man deserves. God gives salvation through His mercy and grace. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God’s will is that none perish. People often quote this part and misrepresent this Scripture by saying that God is not going to send any to hell, but rarely do they think about the rest of that verse. When put in context this is not a verse of love.

Lets look at the WHOLE verse, “The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” This verse is not one of love, this verse is one of warning.

This verse tells us that God gives His promise. A promise means that one is giving their word that something WILL happen. God always keeps His word.

The next phrase tells us that God puts up with a lot, BUT there is an end. This end is God’s judgment and wrath. God warns that He really does not want to punish any so all one has to do is “come to repentance”.

No where in this verse does God imply that He is not going to punish those who chose not to repent. Matt. 12:30, “He that is not with me is against me;” and Mark 9:40 “For he that is not against us is for us”. These two verse tell us that any who are not for God is against Him. And any that are against God will be cast into the lake of fire.

These are all Bible Prophecies that are God’s promises to man. Everyone will be judged according to their works and after the judgment one will be rewarded for their works. Then one will take his rewards and live in eternity in the place they have chosen, heaven or lake of fire. Forever with God or forever separated from God. Remember that God wants all to chose and accept His plan of salvation.

God says that no one deserve to go to heaven. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death. . .” But through His love He gives a door that one can chose to walk through to get there. “. . .but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” All are going to the lake of fire unless they chose Christ.

If we tell our child that, nothing good can come out of an addiction to drugs and the child chooses to go down that path anyway. When destruction comes we can say that they were warned and it was their choice to chose drugs. . .

It is not God’s choice to send us to the lake of fire, it’s our own choice.

The very next judgment is called the Bema Judgment. This is for the Church, that is, the raptured Christians. It will occur in the air. This judgment will happen before the Tribulation period. This is part of the First Resurrection. (See other writing for more on the First Resurrection and Judgments.) It is your choice whether or not you want to be here in the first resurrection or in the second at the Great White Throne Judgment.

Jesus’ appearances after the first day to His ascension.   There is another five here and yet another six plus after the ascension.

“And, after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst. . .”     John 20:26. 

This is the sixth appearance of Jesus in His resurrected glorified body.  This too would have been on a Sunday evening.  Accounts of this sixth appearance can be found in John 20:26-31 and 1 Cor. 15:5.

The seventh appearance comes in John 21 to the seven disciples at the sea of Tiberias (Galilee).  This is where the apostles were fishing and catching nothing Jesus told them to cast their net on the other side.  Also in verse 14 He shows us that we can eat in the glorified body.  This was the third time Jesus showed Himself to the apostles.

The eighth time was to the apostles and 500 brethren. This is found at the end of Matt. 28 and 1 Cor. 15:6.  Paul gives a quick account of appearances between verses 5 and 8. 

Ninth time was to James, Christ’s half brother. 1 Cor. 15:7

Tenth time was at His ascension in Mk. 16:19-20, Lk. 24:44-53, and Acts 1:3-12.

Christ’s recorded appearances after His ascension.

11. To Stephen, at his stoning Acts 7:55.

12. To Paul at his conversion in Acts 9:3,17, 1 Cor. 15:8.

13. To Paul at the Temple in Jerusalem in Acts 22:18.

14. To Paul later in Jerusalem in Acts 23:11.

15. To Paul in Corinth in 2 Cor. 12:1-4.

16. To John on the Isle of Patmos beginning with Rev. 1:10-19 and thereafter through most of the book of Revelation.

I have seen the Mel Gibson film, “The Passion of the Christ”. It is depicting a scene that is very tough for me to watch. I hate to even think of the torture that Christ went through for me. It was done only through His love for us, for I nor any one else has been or ever will be worthy of such a sacrifice. But this is not the apex of our Salvation or Joy. It is the resurrection.

The resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle of Salvation. In 1 Cor. 15:14 Paul says without it all is vain. “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”This is the victory for all Christians is through Christ. Col. 2:12-13. Victory over death. Victory over hell. Victory over sin. This resurrection of Christ is our joy and the blessed hope for ourselves.

Remember that all this was God’s plan. Matt. 26:56. “But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” And in Acts 3:18. “But those things, which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” God revealed in His word through prophecy spoken up to 1000 years before this event. Proving that God’s word will happen, that His plan will be fulfilled and that only God can predict the future infallibly.

Why will Christ be the “Judge” at all judgments? Because God appointed Him to this position.God also told us that Christ would be the judge, jury and executioner.

Matt. 28:18. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” After the resurrection of Christ, some say He was given a new name. But actually His name was returned back to His former title and position. The title of LORD, Lord of Lords, ruler of all things. Also the power to carry out all His judgments.

Philippians 2:9-11. “Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

John 3:35. “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.”

           5:22. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”           5: 27-29. “And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. . .’ Not only judge, but  the  executioner as well.

Rom. 14:10-12. “. . .For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So, then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”Hopefully, this will end any notion about one not being accountable for his works in this world. Rev. 20:12, “. . .And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” In 2 Cor. 5:10 it explains that all will be judged. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Romans 14:10 “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” And Rom. 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hole the truth in unrighteousness,”.

Christ is the judge, jury and executioner for all.

this will continue in part two.

Jesus’ Appearances after the Resurrection part one

This is the reason we celebrate Easter. Jesus resurrection three days after His death, just as prophesied. To prove that He did raise from the grave He appeared ten times to Christians.

There is a time span of forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension. Jesus only appeared to His followers during this period of time and we have record of ten events. The first five were on the day of resurrection. If we combine the four narratives of the Gospel found in Mt. 28, Mk. 16, Lk. 24 and John 20, we can get an overall or chronological perspective of Jesus’ post resurrection appearances.

Jesus’ appearances that first day.

1. Early in the morning of the day following the Sabbath (Which would be our Sunday) the women went to the sepulcher of Jesus to anoint His body. They went even though there was a 2 ton stone over the opening of the tomb. Mk. 16:2-3. And if that wasn’t enough there were armed guards there seeing that no one would disturb that stone.

Four of these were Mary Magdalene, Mary (apostle James the less’ mother), both these listed in Mt. 28:1. Salome was added to the list in Mark 16:1. Joanne was added in Luke 24:10. These last two women are not the same. These Scriptures also tell of other women that were there, but their names were not mentioned. Many of these same women had been at the crucifixion and watched from afar. These women were not all traveling in the same group.

The stone removed.

All these women found the stone removed already, Mt. 28:2. The angel told them to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus would meet them in Galilee. They then went to tell the disciples. They would not be running to tell the disciples for they were heavy with many pounds of spices to anoint the body of Christ. Mt. 28:7.

Mary Magdalene found herself running to tell the disciples John 20:2. She finds Peter and John and tells them “they have taken away the Lord”. Meanwhile the other women have arrived at the sepulcher and find an empty tomb. The angel tells them that “Christ is Risen”, go tell the disciples. They leave to tell the disciples and on the way Jesus appears to them Mt. 28:9-10.

Now back to John 20 that tells us that at the tomb John arrives first, he is the youngest and can run faster. John stoops down and sees that the sepulcher is empty. Shortly Peter comes up and being the one who generally acted first and thought later, ran right on in without hesitation. Of course, not yet being “reminded” of Jesus’ words of His resurrection, being bewildered they left for home.

Now poor ol’ Mary Magdalene who had ran from the tomb to tell Peter and John tried to followed them back to the sepulcher. But after already running to the disciples now could not keep up at all with them going back to the tomb. By the time she arrives at the sepulcher Peter and John has already left. Mary is there by herself and remember that she has not by told by the angel that Jesus has been resurrected. She is distraught and starts sobbing. Looking into the tomb she then sees the two angels and ask her why is she crying? Mary replies, but does not wait for an answer, she just turns and leaves. I think this is when Jesus takes compassion and reveals Himself first to Mary, John 20:11-18. She then returns to the disciples to tell of the appearance.

Now the second appearance to all the other women that were carrying the spices back to tell then disciples, Jesus now appears to them, Matt. 28:8-10.

The first disciple Jesus appeared to was Peter. Luke 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5. This would be the third appearance.

The fourth time would be on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appeared to a couple of His followers in that evening. Mk. 16:12, Lk. 24:13-32.

The fifth time would be to the disciples when Thomas was not present. Mk. 16:14, Lk. 24:36-43, Jn. 20:19-25.

This five appearances of our Savior occurred on the first day. Between His first and second Jesus had to apply His blood at the Mercy Seat of the atonement of sin. This would begin His high priestly duty for the day of atonement. Remember that Christ is no longer restricted by the earthly laws. He is now in His glorified body, the resurrected body. Christ is no longer restricted by time, matter, gravity or any other physical laws. He now has put on the incorruptible and has been changed just Christians will in 1 Cor. 15:52. The only thing here is that when we do this it will be our first time. Remember that Christ was immortal before the first advent and now after His resurrection He will be again forevermore.

Just as the Bible prophesied that Jesus would be resurrected and it was so fulfilled. The same will be with Christians as stated in 1 Cor. 15:51-53, 1 Thess. 4:14-17.

 

Ps. 16: 10 Triumph over death. Was not corrupted

Ps. 22: 1 “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me;. . .”

2 “O my God I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest me not, and in the night season, and am not silent.”

7- 8 “All who see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver him; let Him deliver Him; . . .”

 

13 “They gaped upon me with their mouths, like a ravening and roaring lion.”

14 “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.”

15 “. . . my tongue cleaveth. . .”

16 “. . .they pierced my hands and feet.”

17 “ I may tell all my bones; they look and stare upon me.”

18 “ They part my garments . . .cast lots upon my vesture.”

Ps. 34: 20 “He keepth all his bones; not one of them is broken.” Compare John 19″ 30-36

Ps. 35: 10 Accuses by false witnesses. (?)

:19 “who hated me without cause.” Compare John 16:25.

Ps 41: 9 “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” Compare John 13: 18-30

Ps. 69:19, 21 gall to drink; “In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” John 19: 28, 29

Isa. 50: 5-6 “The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned backward. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid no my face from shame and spitting.”

52: 14 “As many were astounded at thee–his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.”

53: 3 “He is despised and rejected of men. . .”

: 4 “He was numbered with the transgressors.” Mark 15: 27, 28

53: 5 “. . .with His stripes we are healed.”

53: 6 “. . .and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

53: 7 “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not His mouth.”

53: 8 “He was taken from prison and judgment; and who shall declare His generation? . . .for the transgression of my people was He stricken.”

53: 9 “Made His grave with the wicked,. . .because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

53: 10 “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him;. . .”

53: 11 “He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied; by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.”

53: 12 “. . . He hath poured out His soul unto death; and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Zech. 11: 12, 13 “So they weighted from my price thirty pieces of silver. And the lord said unto me, cast it unto the potter; a goodly price that I was priced at of them.” Matt. 27: 3-10

Zech. 12: 10 “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced.” John 19: 34, 37

Zech. 13: 7 Forsaken by His disciples.

(Perhaps Job chapter 16)

These prophesies were made by different prophets over a 600 year span and half of these were made 1000 years before Christ was born.  There are over 30 prophecies about the crucifixion of Christ. 

Prophecy–history written in advance

twofold descriptive and predictive. Prophets were “forth-tellers” and “for-tellers” for they had insight and foresight imparted to them by the Holy Spirit.

2/3 of the Scriptures are prophetic either in type, symbol, or direct statement.

½ of them remain to be fulfilled

The ½ that has been fulfilled has been “literally” fulfilled

No prophecy is to be interpreted by itself, but in harmony with the whole body of prediction on any given subject.

The requirements of a genuine prediction

–must have been made known PRIOR to its fulfillment

–must be beyond all human foresight

–must give details

–sufficient time must elapse between publication and fulfillment. The will exclude the prophet himself fulfilling it

–clear and detailed information about the fulfillment

 

The purpose of this series has been to bring out the truth about restorations and resurrections. Trying to point out the differences. From restoring physical life to restoring spiritual life. Even the restoring of a nation from a remnant.

A Restorations of natural man means to breathe life back into the SAME physical body that was dead. It happened to some in biblical times as Christ, Paul, Elijah and others prophets called people back from death to return to their physical world. These would die again. Another restoration we spoke of was when Israel would be restored to their homeland.

The resurrection from death unto life when a person is re-born. This is a spiritual re-birth, not a physical one.

Differentiating between the first and second resurrection and how many we have. “The Resurrections” have tried to develop a better understanding about what happens after death. Illustrating that death is just the toll gate to eternity.

Quickly, at death the physical body and spirit separate. The physical body goes to what we refer to as the grave. And the spirit or what some refer to as the “soulish” body goes on to one of two places. The unsaved goes to where the rich man is in Luke 16. The saved went to a place called paradise, that was where Lazarus and Abraham were. But Christ emptied that paradise at His resurrection. Now the saved go to a new paradise to be with Christ. Paul said in 2 Cor. 5:8 that to be “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord”. Here now resides the “soulish” or “spiritual” body upon which age and death has no effect.

The Sadducees claimed not to believe in a resurrection, but yet tested Jesus with the question concerning the resurrection (Mt. 22: 23-33, Acts. 23:8). But Jesus, Daniel, Isaiah, Paul, Peter, David etc. all spoke of the resurrection of the dead. You will have to chose whom to believe.

We also found out that after a resurrection one would immediately proceed to a judgment. The saved to a Bema Seat and the unsaved to the Great White Throne. After the judgment comes eternity, the saved would be with Christ and for the unsaved, to the lake of fire and the second death.

 

In conclusion in 2 Peter chapter 3 we are told about the last day scoffers where they forget the past, make fun of the future and live just for today. Here and in Matt 18:14, you will find that the Lord does not want any to perish and again in Ezek. 18:23. God gives chance after chance, but sure is the day of judgment. When it arrives it will be sure and immediate.

I will leave you with this final thought. The same that Paul asked of Agrippa in Acts 26:8. “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?”Restorations, First Resurrection, Second Resurrection, Great White Throne Judgment, lake of fire, second death, rich man and Lazarus, Abraham’s bosom, Biblical Prophecy,

The second resurrection includes the resurrection of damnation, the Great White Throne Judgment and the second death. There are several events to the first resurrection, but only one event for the second. As always the truth about these resurrection lies in the study of the Scripture. Not all questions are answered, but some answers are overlooked by many. Through the utilization of the Holy Spirit, prayer and diligent focus can many Scriptures be opened to the true seeker.

The Bible usually speaks of the two resurrections in the same text using opposite terms. Just and unjust, life and damnation, good and evil, etc. John 5: 28 says “all” will be resurrected. And in verse 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 1 Cor. Chapter 15, Paul answers questions to the church at Corinth about the resurrections. He re-assured them of many resurrections to come. The question Paul answered here was if the resurrection had already happened or was going to be a future event. The one question not answered here is when. But Paul did enlightened us as to the order of the resurrections.

Both Paul and Peter tell us that the saved will be resurrected first and the unsaved last. 2 Peter 2:9, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” We can deduct from this that the resurrections will occur at different times. Also that the “godly” will be first and before the temptation. The Bible says that all will be resurrected and that all will be judged. And I believe that the judgment begins immediately after resurrection.

The Resurrection of the Damnation, unjust or wicked is found in Dan. 12:2; John 5:28; 2 Peter 2:9; Rev. 20:5-15. It is the last of the resurrections and commonly known as the second resurrection. It’s for all who have not been previously resurrected and judged, now it’s their turn. Remember that God gave all judgment to the Son. John 5:22. And Christ will judge these unsaved on the basis of their works at the last judgment which is called Great White Throne Judgment. Works consist of deeds, words, and thoughts. Notice that you are not judged for sin. That debt has already been paid.

The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20: 11-15). This topic is fairly large and cannot be fully covered here. I will deal with this subject individually at another time, but for now I want to just emphasize some main points.

1. This is the last resurrection event, the Great White Throne Judgment will be for all that have not previously been resurrected and judged. (John 5:28-29)

2. This will take place after the Millennium Age. (Rev. 20:7)

3. This Great White Throne Judgment will be for the unsaved. Remember salvation is by grace not works. But judgment will be based on works. (Rev. 20:12)

4. It will not take place on earth nor in heaven. (Rev. 20:11)

5. Anyone ever born will be here. (1 Thess. 4:17)

6. Christ will be the Judge. (John 5:22)

7. There is a set of books for judgment

8. All who are not found in the “Book of Life” will be cast into the “Lake of Fire” (Rev 20:15).

The Great White Throne is the last judgment which means that the last resurrection has just occurred. We are told by many that the only ones appearing at the Great White Throne will be the sinner. According to the Bible that is not true. Everyone that has ever been born will be there. Of course, the unsaved will be there as they have not been judged yet. Christ will be there since He is the judge, and He was also born. All Saints were born and they will be there, for we are to be ever with the LORD.

But I believe that there will be others at the Great White Throne Judgment that have lived during the Millennium. During those 1000 years many were born and some died. It does not make any sense to me that out of the billions of people that will be present at one time or another during the Millennium that every single one of them will be unsaved.

Lets consider a few things that happened during that 1000 years up to the Great White Throne. First, Who comes into the Millennium? Only the Saints? No! There are going to be many who has survived the Great Tribulation and they will go into the Millennium. Many babies are going to be born, and since Saints cannot be the parents, then there has to be unsaved present. A baby has to be born before he can die at the age of 100 years (Isa. 65:20). These ones born in the Millennium Age still have the first Adam nature as well, the sinful nature and will require salvation. This Millennium is God’s last chance for man to repent and come to Jesus as their Savior.

Second, how many people will be there? Rev. 20:8 tells us that “the number is as the sand of the sea”. Each of the unsaved here is a candidate for salvation.

(1.) With the innumerable amount of Saints there preaching, judging nations even judging angels. Having a glorified body must very impressive to someone who just has a physical body. Surely with all these things going for us, that at least one of the Saints will be able to lead at least one sinner to Christ in 1000 years. And remember that Christ, our Savior is right there ruling the entire world. Think of the multitude of evangelists there trying to win souls, Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, Peter, Paul and millions of other Saints. I will be extremely difficult to convince that not one will be saved.

(2.) Or if perhaps during the entire 1000 years one child may die before they reach the age of accountability? Neither does it make any sense that not any children will be born at the end of the age and still be under the age of accountability at the time Gog and MaGog II.

(3.) what about all the people coming to seek Christ’s paths and ways in Isa. 2:3. “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

It will only take just one person to turning to Christ in any of these three scenarios. Just one, out of all the billions of people there to make sense for the “Book of Life” to be present in Rev. 20:12.

in addition to address another misconception about the Millennium Age. If you think that we are just going to be lying around eating grapes at feasts and parties during the Millennium, then you are getting your information from the wrong book. The great Commission does not end with the great tribulation. Re-read Mt. 28:19-20 and pay particular attention to the very last phrase, “even unto the end of the world.” This means the Great White Throne, for this is where man no longer has any control. Christ will ultimately take over completely. Up until this time Christ has been open to man’s talk and questioning, even during the Millennium, Mt. 7:21-23. Christ is no longer acting as a man, mediator or high priest, or king keeping the peace. Christ is now the ultimate judge, this the finish line for sin. Christ will completely and forever separate good from evil. Amen

Sidebar: I am reasonably sure that there will be a lot of lawyers there at the Great White Throne Judgment. But I do not believe Christ is going to let them yell “Objection, Christ your Honor”. And the lawyer require Christ to prove that He is telling the truth. Showing the Book of Life, and saying, “now you look through all the billions of names and you will see that your name is not there”. And if that didn’t work then they might try filibustering or perhaps question His right to judge, or even to question His authority. And that is definitely not going to happen. Any questioning of God has stopped. Even in Job’s elevated state with God, he was not allow to question God’s judgment. People are not going to be questioning Christ, they are just going to be listening and be on bended knees.

There have been thousands of years that questioning could have and did occur, but here at the Great White Throne man has already expended his last time out it is as if he has died again and can no longer change his mind to be saved or not.

The second death. The eternal state of the wicked. First of all lets discuss what eternal means. What does eternal mean for the Christian? Some words used to describe it is forever, everlasting, without end, etc. Why would eternal mean one thing for a Christian and another for unsaved? So when the Bible tells of those being put into the Lake of Fire “shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.”, why should we think in terms other than eternal.

We have a first death which is the physical death of the physical body because of Adam’s sin. “For as in Adam all die,” 1 Cor. 15:22. And in Rom. 5:12 “and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.”

After death the next thing that happens to the physical body is its resurrection. For the Saved Christ said, once resurrected “neither can they die any more;” Luke 20: 35-36. But for the unsaved, just the opposite, they have a second death. The resurrected body of the unsaved, that which they have while they are going through the judgment will be stripped away and they will be returned to the state of the rich man in Luke 16. All death, hades, and unsaved will be emptied into the lake of fire. Rev. 20: 14-15. The process of taking away the resurrected body, emptying into the lake of fire, and being forever banished from God is known as the second death. The everlasting torment and gnashing of teeth is what we now refer to as hell. It would be like being cast into and confined on the interior of the Sun, the body would burn away quickly, but with no escape the eternal “soulish” body like the rich man had would forever feel the heat.

All will be resurrected, some to life and some to the second death, and all will be judged by Christ as to their works here on earth. It’s your choice where you prefer to spend eternity. But rest assured that it WILL be in heaven or the lake of fire. The Bible tells us that “now is the day of salvation” 2 Cor. 6:2 because now is all you have. The past is gone and the future may not come for you. Repent of your sins, and ask Christ to come into your heart and be your Savior and Lord. Then let someone know about your decision to follow Christ.

The First resurrection, up to this date, deals only with those who have died and gone to heaven. The first ever to do this in a glorified body was Jesus Christ Himself. Matt. 27:52-53. “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints that slept arose. And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Notice here that Christ was first, then the others.

Other Scriptures that tell us Christ was the first to rise in a glorified body is found in 1 Cor. 15:20. “But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept.” Col. 1:18. “And He is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead,. . .” Rev. 1:5. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead. . .” and Rom. 8:29.

An extremely interesting verse is 1 Cor. 15: 23. “But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” I feel that this verse should have a comma after the word Christ and read, “Christ, the first fruits; afterwards. . .” With or without the comma this is a very key verse for explaining who are to be in the first resurrections.

Not only does this verse tell us that Christ is the first of the “first fruits”, it also tells the order of the first resurrections. Further more it tells us that the resurrections are not to be at the same time. Which means there is going to be more than one resurrection that falls under the heading of “First Resurrection”. The First Resurrection is somewhat like a football game, many quarters, but it is still the same game. Like mentioned in the paragraph above, the first resurrection has many events. We have already spoken about the first event of the series of “The First Resurrection”.

Now in 1 Cor. 15:35-54, Paul describes some of the major events that will occur at the second event of the first resurrection, the rapture. The rapture is where the Christ’s Church or bride is caught out. Paul tells the Church at Corinth that there are bodies made for living in heaven, and bodies made for living on earth.

He explains a “mystery” vs. 51, “Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” Paul lets us know that we will all have to be changed to a “heavenly” body. One that will withstand existing for eternity and one that can adjust to heaven as well as earth. One that is not bound by the physical laws of this earth. A body liken to that of Christ’s resurrected body, called a “glorified” body (For more on the subject of bodies check out the writing “Our Different Bodies”).

A few years earlier Paul told the Church at Thessalonica about the second event of the First Resurrection. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. Paul tells them that he wants to explain this to them so they will know and be able to comfort each other. He tells them that just as Jesus was resurrected so will they be, the ones that have died will be first, afterwards the ones that are alive.

Vs. 16-17. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we who 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.” Now this may be a good time to clear up the term “rapture”. All know that the word rapture does not appear in the Bible. But as you see in the verse above, “caught up” does. Now the Greek word here is “harpazo” which means to snatch or catch away suddenly. In Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language One of Webster’s stated definitions of rapture is “the carrying of a person to another place or sphere of existence”. As you can see the use of the word “rapture” is reasonable or as Mr. Spock on Star Trek might say, “seems quite logical to me”.

Now lets pick up on the third quarter or event of the first resurrection. This will be the ones saved during the tribulation, sometimes referred to as the tribulation saints.

I know that there are those who say no one is going to be saved during the tribulation, it is just a time of judgment. To them I say, you must be like Thomas Jefferson and only use certain parts of the Bible.

My Bible has Revelation in it. Chapter Seven of Revelation tells how “a great multitude . . .stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” and verse 14 also repeats that ones were saved out of the great tribulation. Chapter 6 verse 9, 10 and 11. Acts 2:20, . . . At any rate “for me and my house” we’ll choose God’s word over man’s ever time.

Then Rev. 20:4-5. “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 who had not worshiped 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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” This was for this saints, not for the wicked dead. So now all the saints have been resurrected.

That is up to this time, the beginning of the Millennium. (The word “Millennium” is not in the Bible either. The word Millennium is Latin for Thousand Years. )

Now for the fourth quarter of the first resurrection. During the Millennium there people will be born and also die. There are ones that have survived the tribulation. In other words many will be there who are not saved.

Yes, the saints will be there also, we are to be always with Jesus. What is our job in the Millennium?

In verse 6 of Rev. 20 we find that we are to be “priests of God and of Christ”. What is the job of priests during the Millennium? To be an intercessor between Christ and the unsaved people. We will be what Paul called ambassadors for Christ. Doing our Great Commission. It is only logical that out of millions of priests, ambassadors or saints working trying to bring the millions of unsaved to Christ, that at least one, will be successful.

So, now there has to be fourth quarter to the first resurrection. Rev. 20:15. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” This is the same “whosoever” found in Acts 2:21; Rom. 10:13; John 3:15, 16; Mt. 10:32, 33 and so on. Whosoever is many times associated with salvation. Whosoever was not found, would one to believe that there was others that were found written there.

Reason would tell me that there would be no purpose to have the Book of Life there is all were going to the lake of fire. Is Christ going to parley with the unsaved whether or not their name is written there? Christ is not there to be a lawyer, He is the judge. Christ is only going to give the degree of sentence to the wicked.