by Tad Lindley
For thousands of years people have understood the concept of the resurrection. Even in the midst of his horrible tragedies, Job was able to speak in faith: For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25-26 NKJV). Job saw far into the future. He saw a day when Jesus would stand upon the earth. Job knew that he would die and that his body would decay away, and yet in the end of time, he would be given a resurrected body and would see the Lord. He was seeing the first resurrection.
Daniel saw this same event. He saw the end of time when great tribulation would come upon the earth. And at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book. 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 (Daniel 12:1-2). It would be a time when graves would lose their grip on the dead, and the power of life would return. Daniel saw both resurrections, although he does not separate them in time (John does that later in the Revelation).
Plan 1: The First Resurrection
This will happen when Jesus returns. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord (I Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV). When Jesus returns again, the dead in Christ will live again. This is the first resurrection. Then those people who are still alive and serving God will also meet with them in the air. This is commonly referred to as the rapture.
Goodbye nose hair, goodbye double chin
In the first resurrection we shall all be changed- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality (I Corinthians 15:51-53 NKJV). According to your Bible, when the first resurrection occurs, the dead in Christ will be raised with “incorruptible” bodies. The way it is now our bodies wear out over time. We get sick, we get injured, and we just get older. I remember thinking when I was younger, “I’m glad that I will never have a problem with nostril hair.” Well many years have passed, and guess what? I’ve got nose hair. If you squint hard enough you might be able to see it in my photo. The good news is this: if we make the first resurrection or the rapture, aging and sickness will no longer be an issue for us.
A 1,000-year vacation
Those folks making it in the first resurrection are going to enjoy a 1,000-year time of peace. John saw this in his vision. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years … this is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power (Revelation 20:4-5 NKJV).
The Second Resurrection
…the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished… (v. 4). The second resurrection will be composed of anyone who does not make the first resurrection/rapture. If there are people who are born after the coming of the Lord and then die during the thousand years, they too will be in the second resurrection. The second resurrection will take place after the thousand years is up. The stage will be set for the Lord to judge the living and the dead. According to Revelation, The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hell delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged each according to his works (20:13). This will be a terrible time of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Those of the second resurrection will be cast into the lake of fire to burn forever with the devil and his angels.
Choose your resurrection now
It seems like it should be an easy choice. A one thousand year reign of peace with Jesus and then go to a place where there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying, and no more pain- or burn forever in the lake of fire. You would have to be crazy not to pick the first resurrection. For a limited time, starting with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and ending at your death or his returning, whichever comes first, the first resurrection is open to all people. There is nothing that we could have done to earn the hope of salvation, but there are things we must do to receive it. Remember, we will be judged according to our works (20:13). John 3:1-5 and Acts 2:38 are good places to start looking to see what Jesus wants you to do to be ready.
No flying standby
Nobody is going to be able to go standby in the first resurrection. And so it is appointed unto men once to die; after that the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Solomon explained it like this, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be (Ecclesiastes 11:3). The time to get ready is now before this incredible offer expires.
Reverend Tad Lindley is a minister at the United Pentecostal Church in Bethel, Alaska.
