As you may have guessed from the title of this post, this entry will be concerned with the resurrection. Now I'm sure most, if not all, who read this will, from the outset, assume I am talking about the resurrection of Jesus. I am not. In fact the bible described three resurrections, the first resurrection of course, is that of Jesus. The second two actually involve humans.
Acts 24:15 alludes to a mass resurrection of the dead by saying, "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust." (KJV) Now, it has been my premise up to this point (and will continue to be my premise) that the concept of hell in the Bible is not a literal place of torment, and that indeed, when humans die, they cease to exist; that is, there is no afterlife. Most Christians maintain that if you are a good Christian that when you die, you will go to heave In reality, this is not an afterlife, but some Christians will actually be resurrected into heaven--this is the first of the two resurrections involving humans mentioned above, resurrection into heaven. Note that not ALL of God's faithful humans will be resurrected into heaven. The Bible numbers those who will go to heaven at 144,000. These are the ones seen in Revelation standing on heavenly Mount Zion with Jesus. Rev. 20:4-6 says of these ones that they will reign with Christ for a thousand years (they are also the ones whom the Bible refers to as "saints," or "holy ones").
But if there is no hell, then that leaves us with the question of where "the unjust" of Acts 24:15 will be resurrected. It is unreasonable to believe that the unjust will also be resurrected into heaven. That leaves only one place: the physical Universe (or more specifically, Earth). Both the unrighteous and the faithful that did not get selected for heaven will be resurrected on the Earth. These are the subjects over which those who do go to heaven will reign. Incidentally, the thousand-year reign of Christ (along with his 144,000 co-rulers) is exactly what the Kingdom of God is. The Kingdom of God (mentioned in the Lord's prayer) is not some mystical abstract thing which resides only in one's "heart," as some believe, but it is a real and literal government designed to carry out God's purpose for the Earth (which will be discussed later on in this blog).
John 5:28-29 states, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall com forth; they that have done good, unto a resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [or judgment]." This passage is not referring to judging people based on their actions in this life. When the resurrection takes place, it will take place over a thousand years, corresponding to the reign of Christ--that is one of the purposes of God' Kingdom. Those that are resurrected will be given perfect bodies, like the ones that Adam and his wife had lost when they sinned. Those who have survived Judgment Day, however, will not need to be resurrected, they will already be alive. Their bodies will gradually be returned to perfection over the thousand years. The resurrection of life or judgment, in this new context, is base not on our actions in this system, but our response to Christ's rulership and direction during his millennial reign.
The reason for the resurrection, along with Jehovah's purpose for the Earth will be discussed later in this blog once I get to why it is that Gad has allowed evil to exist for so long--all three topics are intimately tied with one another.
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