LET GOD BE TRUE

CHAPTER XXI

RESURRECTION

FROM the time that the first mortal man fell in death till this very hour countless millions have gone to untimely graves. Disease and pestilence have gnawed at the vitals of those of humankind. By means of violence in war, accident, fire, flood and kindred calamities have men hastened to the land of the enemy, death. Facing these grim realities, many honest persons sincerely ask, "Are we destined to live but a few troubled years on this earth, then to enter the grave never to return? Is there hope that those who have entered the tomb can ever live again?"

² In seeking a satisfying answer the person of good-will wisely looks to a truthful source, God's Word. There he finds words of comfort and solace. He sees that men of old, such as Abraham, Job and Isaiah, had kindled within them the hope that they would live again on the earth amid more happy conditions. Job in his distress testified that a "change" would come and that God would call and he would answer him from the grave. He said: "O that

thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands." (Job 14:13-15) Isaiah too voiced his faith in God's power, saying, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise." (Isaiah 26:19) "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces." (Isaiah 25: 8) Concerning another faithful friend of God, it is written, "Abraham . . . believed that God was able to raise men even from the dead." — Hebrews 11:17,19, Goodspeed; see also Luke 20: 37, 38.

³ That the trust and confidence of these and of others having kindred faith are certain to bear fruit in due time, we have this comforting assurance by the firstborn from the dead, even Jesus: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." (John 5: 28, 29) Paul too, in Mars hill, declared, "God . . . hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him [Jesus] from the dead." (Acts 17: 30, 31) Thus the raising of Jesus was a proof or an assurance given to men that they may confidently rely upon the promises of God to raise the dead.

⁴ Nor is the resurrection of Jesus an illusion or an imagined thing, even though the religionists of that day tried unsuccessfully by their puny efforts to thwart the coming forth of the Son of God from the grave. (Matthew 27: 62-66) Paul could so confidently testify to this important question of the resurrection because he had seen the glory of the risen Lord, while en route to Damascus. Not only that, but he recalls for us the witnesses that had seen Jesus after being raised from the dead: "And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; . . . After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." (1 Corinthians 15: 5-8) See also Acts 13: 29-37 and Matthew 28:5-9,16.

⁵ Satan and the demons, after thus failing to destroy man's faith in the resurrection, then sought to obscure the true meaning of his doctrine. They caused wrong beliefs regarding it to be fostered and taught by men "who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some". (2 Timothy 2:18) Arguing and teaching thus, that the resurrection was out of date and no longer due to occur, would lead others into error and thus into a course that would make them unfit for life. Later the hea-

then doctrine of the 'inherent immortality of all souls' was introduced and adopted into the so-called "Christian" religious organization. Belief in that teaching wrecked man's true Christian faith, because it set at nought the Scriptural truth that at death all men go to the grave where "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom". (Ecclesiastes 9:10) It confused the fact that the dead must remain in the grave or condition of death until God's due time to bring them forth, after the establishment of God's kingdom.

⁶ None of the loyal, faithful men of old were resurrected before the coming of Jesus to this earth, nor did they believe in inherent immortality of the soul. Rather the Scriptural accounts regarding them show that they died and in death were unconscious as being asleep, from which death-sleep they will in Jehovah's due time be awakened. To Moses the Lord said, "Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." (Deuteronomy 31:16) David knew also that he must sleep in death, for God had told him, "And when thy days be fulfilled . . . thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." (2 Samuel 7:12) Later, Peter at Pentecost "lifted up his voice, and said ... let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. . . . For David is not ascended into the heavens." (Acts 2:14, 29, 34) Although they were still dead in

Peter's day, yet the time must come when they would stand again in life. However, before their resurrection comes, others must first arise from the dead. There is a proper order in coming forth from the graves.

"FIRST RESURRECTION"

⁷ Jesus was the first one to rise from the dead, and therefore he is spoken of as "the firstborn from the dead", "the firstfruits of them that slept." (Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:20) This firstborn one from the dead was not raised out of the grave a human creature, but he was raised a spirit. Hence he was the firstfruits, too, of those that would have a heavenly resurrection. "He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." — 1 Peter 3:18, Weymouth.

⁸ It was God's purpose, however, that Jesus should not be alone in his heavenly resurrection, but that others should be joined with him. (John 14:3) Says the scripture concerning those that would share with Christ Jesus not only in his sufferings but also in his resurrection: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29) Thus a new way and a new hope was opened up for followers of the Son of God, those who would be

Christ's brethren; and that hope was that they might partake of the heavenly life upon their resurrection from the dead. "Like as Christ was raised up from the dead . . . even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." (Romans 6: 3-5) The "likeness of his resurrection" is a heavenly resurrection such as Jesus had; and, like Jesus, those partaking of it must die faithful unto death. The apostle Paul expressed his hope to fellow saints that he would be raised out of death to life in heaven: "I too believe . . . that he who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will raise me also like Jesus, and bring me side by side with you into his presence." (2 Corinthians 4:14, Goodspeed) This is the first resurrection as to time and importance; and "blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection". (Revelation 20:6) The Scriptures also indicate that the number of those that participate in this first resurrection is not a great number, but is a "little flock" (Luke 12: 32), and that it is limited to the Lord Jesus and the 144,000 members of the church of God. — Revelation 7:4; 14:1,3.

⁹ The question then arises, When do these come forth from the condition of death? Paul, when nearing the end of his life on earth, wrote to Timothy, thus shedding light on this matter, saying that he had fought a good fight and he

was about to finish his course and had kept the faith; and, because he had faith in a heavenly resurrection in the day of the Lord and at his appearing, "henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me AT THAT DAY: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8) Paul knew that not only he but also 'all them that loved his appearing' must sleep in death until the second presence of the Lord. Therefore it is definitely fixed that none of the apostles of Jesus or others like them were raised out of death at least until the second coming of Christ. "That day" to which they looked forward is the day of the Lord Jesus, which began with his coming to the temple for judgment in 1918.

¹⁰ Paul exhorted his fellow Christians not to sorrow about these sleeping ones, but they should have hope in God because he had promised them a resurrection even as he had assured Jesus that he would not leave Jesus' soul in the grave. Read the words of comfort and hope as recorded at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15: "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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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." Clearly this means that the first resurrection is certain for those faithful followers who died or are asleep in the Lord and that it will take place at the "coming of the Lord". Furthermore, it means that when such resurrection occurs there would be some alive of that heavenly class here on the earth; they would be busy at the work of gospel-preaching at the time he comes to judge, and they would be declaring his judgment message. It also means that these will not "prevent" or "precede those who fell asleep". (Diaglott) The glorious prospect which had been set before those asleep in Jesus will then be realized: "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." (1 Thessalonians 4:16) Being a spiritual resurrection, their rising first will be invisible to human eyes, as Jesus' resurrection was. It is described in fullness at 1 Corinthians 15:42-54.

¹¹ But what about those who will ultimately be in heaven, but who are of the remnant that are alive here on the earth at the coming of the Lord? When they finish their earthly ministry in death, must they sleep on in death like those who died before the Lord Jesus' coming to the temple? The inspired record at 1 Corinthians 15: 51, 52 answers, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be

changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Therefore those of that heavenly class that die in this day of the invisible presence of the Lord have an instantaneous change, "in the twinkling of an eye," and they do not sleep in death, but they shall be at once changed at death. They are resurrected in the spirit.

EARTHLY RESURRECTION

¹² Since the Scriptures clearly say that the 144,000 are the only ones besides Christ Jesus that have part in the heavenly resurrection, does this not argue that there will be no others that will come forth from the tomb? No; there will be an earthly resurrection. The greater mass of humankind will find life here on the earth amid paradise conditions. (Psalm 72: 6-8; Isaiah 2:4; 60:13; Ezekiel 36:35) Jesus' words are true, "All that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." (John 5:27-29, A.S.V.; Douay) Those who have "done good" include such ones as Abraham, David, Daniel, and others, who "stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, . . . not accepting deliverance; that

they might obtain a better resurrection". (Hebrews 11: 33-35) They will be made "princes in all the earth", and hence will be the first of the human dead to be raised; and thus they will have a better resurrection than the rest of humankind. (Isaiah 32:1; Psalm 45:16) Those having "done good" would also include those of the "other sheep" class that may die in this day because of their devotion to God and his kingdom. It would appear that they will be brought forth early after the battle of Armageddon is past. On the other hand, "they that have done evil" are those who have had no faith and knowledge of God and who have done wrong because of their being ignorant and conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity. They have part in the general resurrection of all those of mankind to whom Christ's ransom sacrifice extends benefits. After being raised from the tombs they do not participate then in bringing forth any children, but the words at Luke 20: 34-36 apply to them.

¹³ A vision of this earthly resurrection appears at Revelation 20:12-15: "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: . . . and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 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 ac-

cording to their works." The "small and great" must await the appointed day for their coming forth from the graves, and they will all be judged according to their future works on earth under God's kingdom, and no crooked work will be permitted. "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained." (Acts 17: 31) That day appointed is not a day twenty-four hours long, but is that period of time spoken of by Peter: "Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." — 2 Peter 3: 7, 8.

¹⁴ This "day" will be long enough, and plenty of opportunity will be afforded, for all those that come forth from the graves to be judged according to their works. The requirements are laid down that "he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him". (John 3:36) He is judged adversely. It would be unreasonable and unscriptural to say that everlasting life must be given to all persons, even to those who spurn with contempt the loving provisions of Jehovah God. There will undoubtedly be some, namely, the willfully. wicked and irreformable, who will "sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD". (Jeremiah 51:39) On the other hand, 'those that believe shall be saved.' (Romans 10: 9,10; John 3: 36) During the reign of Christ they will return from the land of the

enemy and will ultimately, if obedient, see the promise fulfilled, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:26) At the end of Christ's thousand-year reign, after successfully passing the final judgment test these will attain to their life-right or justification from Jehovah God, and about them we read, "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." (Revelation 20: 5) Then will be completed the earthly resurrection as well as the heavenly. Songs of praise will go up to Jehovah God, who will have given obedient mankind the victory over death through our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 Corinthians 15:57.

¹⁵ The belief in the resurrection, therefore, fills the believer with a glorious hope. He knows the time will come when the graves will be emptied and when "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain". (Revelation 21:4) And especially the favored believers, whom God has begotten to a hope of the "first resurrection", lay aside all entangling things that may hinder them in obtaining life, and, like the apostle Paul, they say, "I count all things but loss ... ; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." — Philippians 3: 8-1.1.