The Resurrection from the Dead

1 Corinthians 15:12-24

When you look up the word resurrection, you will find 41 matches in 40 verses. All of those matches are in the New Testament.

So, you don’t see the word resurrection in the Old Testament at all. But we know the resurrection is spoken of in the Old Testament. The definition of resurrection is rising from the dead.

In My Flesh I Shall See God

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

Job knew that his body would die, that worms would destroy his current body, yet he would see God in his flesh. He would die and yet see God in his flesh. Job knew his body would die and his body would rise from the dead.

The resurrection of the dead is the dead body rising. The body dies. The body arises from the dead.

Psalm 16:10
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

So, we’re talking about the resurrection from the dead as seen in the Old Testament. “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;” The soul is in hell and then arises from the dead out of hell. Souls that die go to hell. Souls that are resurrected come out of hell.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

This speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as quoted in Acts 2:27 and Acts 2:31.

Acts 2:24
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Acts 2:27
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Acts 2:31-32
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.  32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

We know the Old and New Testament speaks of the resurrection from the dead.

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.

“With my dead body shall they arise.”

Some to Everlasting Life and Some to Everlasting Contempt

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.

The dead or those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. Some go to everlasting life. Some go to everlasting contempt. We see the resurrection of the dead everywhere in the Bible.

Ezekiel 37:12-14
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.  13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,  14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

“And cause you to come up out of your graves. And brought you up out of your graves.”

Hosea 13:14
I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

Don’t Deny the Resurrection of the Dead

Some people, in the Bible, and in today’s world will say there is no resurrection of the dead. There have always been people that deny there will be a resurrection of the dead. Think about that, though. If there is no resurrection of the dead, the end of everyone is death. That would be the end.

Matthew 22:23-24
The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,  24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

But listen to what Jesus says closely to those who don’t believe in a resurrection of the dead.

Matthew 22:29-32
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.  30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.  31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,  32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

God is Not the God of the Dead

Again, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Jesus is saying there will be a resurrection of the dead.

His death, burial, and resurrection is showing what will happen to us. This body will die. This flesh will die. This flesh will be buried. But this flesh will be resurrected. This same body that dies will be resurrected from the dead. God says so. It will be the same body but a changed body.

If someone believes there is no resurrection of the dead, they aren’t believing the Bible. They aren’t believing what God says. God is a God of the living. Your body might die but it will be raised to live again.

If someone won’t believe Jesus arose from the dead in his body, then they aren’t saved. We believe in his death, his burial, and his resurrection. If Jesus didn’t arise from the dead, then he isn’t the Savior of the world.

John 5:28-29
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  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.

A Resurrection of Life and a Resurrection of Damnation

There will be a resurrection of life. There will be a resurrection of damnation.

John 11:23-24
Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Martha believed there would be a resurrection at the last day.

Acts 24:15
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Again, you see a resurrection of the dead. Both of the just and the unjust.

2 Timothy 2:17-18
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;  18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Some people say the resurrection is past already. So, what has happened already concerning the resurrection of the dead and what is still to come? The Bible tells us the truth.

This is the First Resurrection

Revelation 20:5-6
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  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.

We see the Bible say, “first resurrection.” So there must be more than one if the Bible is saying there’s a first resurrection. We’ve also seen multiple resurrections mentioned already.

Let’s look closely at 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 which gives us much more information about the resurrection from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:  14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

We know, 100% for sure, that there is a resurrection of the dead. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and arose from the dead. Christ is risen.

1 Corinthians 15:15-17
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.  16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:  17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

We Aren’t Forgiven of Sin if Christ Be Not Raised

God raised up Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ didn’t arise from the dead, then we are not forgiven of our sin. If Jesus died and was buried, but was never resurrected from the dead, “ye are yet in your sins.” You are not forgiven of sin if Jesus Christ didn’t arise after he died on the cross.

1 Corinthians 15:20
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Jesus is the firstfruits. When he arose from the dead, that day was the feast of firstfruits. It was the first day of the week after the weekly sabbath during the feast of passover and days of unleavened bread. Jesus is the first to raise from the dead in a new body. He isn’t the first to be raised from the dead in the Bible, but he is the first to be raised from the dead in a new glorified body.

1 Kings 17:20-22
And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?  21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.  22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

That’s the first person raised from the dead. But that child didn’t arise from the dead in a new body. Jesus was dead for three days and three nights. His soul was not left in hell. And then he arose from the dead in the same, but new, incorruptible body. It is flesh but it’s different. It’s a body that cannot die. That child there in the Scriptures died again. Jesus will never die again.

The Firstfruits = The First Risen from the Dead in a New Body

He is the firstfruits of them that slept. Your body, when it does, it considered to be asleep. It’s dead. It’s not doing anything. It’s just resting. But God will raise it up new one day.

1 Corinthians 15:23-26
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.  24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.  25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

This is what I want you to see. This Scripture tells us about the resurrections of the dead. This gives us the order of things. Number 1. Christ the firstfruits. Jesus Christ is the first to be raised from the dead in a new body. Number 2. They that are Christ’s at his coming. At the second coming of Christ, just like the Bible says, all the people from the past and living at the time will receive a new glorified body just like Jesus.

And the final resurrection will be at the end. “Then cometh the end.” There will be a final resurrection where the people saved after the second coming will be raised to life and all those in hell and unsaved will be raised for judgment and then thrown into the lake of fire.

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

Death and Hell Will Be Destroyed

Revelation 20:11-12
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.  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.

Revelation 20:13-15
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.  14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

And that is when the last enemy, death, is destroyed once and for all. Death is gone. Death and hell is cast into the lake of fire. The people left are all those with new, glorified, incorruptible, and perfect bodies that will never sin again.

• Firstfruits = Jesus is the firstfruits.

• First resurrection = all the saved prior to his second coming.

• Final resurrection = saved after second coming get new bodies, unsaved rise to be judged.

That is the resurrection of the dead. Firstfruits, first resurrection, and final resurrection at the Great White Throne judgment.

Your Body Will Die One Day Unless You’re Alive When Jesus Comes Back

We know there is a resurrection from the dead. Your body will die one day. Your spirit and soul will stay together and your soul will live forever. Your body will be buried or return to the earth in some way. And then when Jesus comes back at his second coming, your body will be raised from the dead.

So, is there a resurrection from the dead?

The resurrection from the dead is discussed throughout the Bible. There’s more than what we’ve been over too. We just went over a small portion of the Scriptures.

And we went over this because we’re still talking about the feasts of the Lord. Jesus is the firstfruits. We’ve been studying the resurrection of Jesus Christ greatly!

Let’s pray.