How many resurrections are there? Just one… two… one divided into two elements… or will there be three with one of those divided into two parts? As I wrote earlier (Click here), it was this question that made brought questions to my mind. Is there a resurrection before The Tribulation… one after The Tribulation for those who were killed during the seven years… and then a last one at the end of the Thousand Year Reign of Christ that includes the righteous and the unrighteous? That’s what I’m trying to figure out…
NOTE: Just F.Y.I., I am in the process of trying to figure these things out. By no means am I saying I’ve figured it out and have all the answers. I’m just trying to make sense of Scripture as best I can. Oh… one more thing… Romans 14:5, “Let every man be fully convinced in his own mind” means there is “wiggle room” in some Christian doctrines for nuances and differences of opinion without being or becoming enemies.
When I began studying eschatology 34 years ago, here is what I was taught about the resurrection…
When Jesus comes back the next time it will be a secret to everyone except believers. At this secret return, all those who are dead in Christ will be resurrected and those still alive will be raptured into heaven with them. This event will trigger The Great Seven Year Tribulation.
During the tribulation, some will be killed because they do not worship the beast of Revelation 13. So when Jesus comes back at the end of the tribulation, and before He reigns on earth for 1,000 years… those believers will be resurrected.
At the end of the 1,000 years Satan will make war against the people of God and Jesus Himself. This war will result in many deaths, but those who are faithful to the end will be saved. Thus when the 1,000 years are over the final resurrection will take place where all who have not yet been resurrected will be resurrected… some to eternal life and others to eternal damnation.
To help understand the nuances of this timeline, I was presented charts and graphs that were supposed to make it clear what God would do and the timing of it. Like the one picutred below… but all those charts and graphs did was confuse me.
I was confused because here’s what I read in Scripture…
Dan 12:1 And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (One resurrection… divided into two parts. Resurrection of life and one of shame.)
John 5:28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (One resurrection… divided into two parts)
John 11:23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life…” (Again… one resurrection… on the last day)
Acts 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. (One resurrection… divided into two parts)
It was because of these passages, and others like them, I wondered why I was taught there were multiple resurrections? Why one before the Tribulation and another after the tribulation and another after the 1,000 years? Either my understanding was incomplete or what I believed needed to be tweaked.
What is the answer? I’m not sure… just yet. But this much I know… there is an answer that will harmonize everything because the Bible does not present contradictory evidence. I’ve just got to keep studying… thinking… and seeking God for an answer.
FOR PRETRIB RAPTURE REPEATERS
Congratulations! You are now fulfilling the Bible which says “Come now, and let us repeat together.”
Be sure to repeat what Walvoord, Lindsey, LaHaye, Ice etc. repeat what their own teachers repeat what their own teachers repeat etc. etc. etc.!
Repeat that Christ’s return is imminent because we’re told to “watch” (Matt. 24, 25) for it. So is the “day of God” (II Pet. 3:12) – which you admit is at least 1000 years ahead – also imminent because we’re told to be “looking for” it?
Also repeat the pretrib myths about the “Jewish wedding stages” and “Jewish feasts” (where’s your “church/Israel dichotomy” now?) even though Christ and Paul knew nothing about a “pretrib stage” and neither did any official theological creed or organized church before 1830!
You should read “Pretrib Rapture Dishonesty” on the “Powered by Christ Ministries” site to find out why you shouldn’t repeat everything your pretrib teachers repeat.
Do I have to repeat this?
Barbara,
I encourage you to read closely two passages of Scripture. They are included below for consideration…
Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Romans 14:5 “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God…
The tenor and attitude of your comment is caustic… and if not for my liberal comment philosophy… it would not have been allowed on my blog. But I think allowing it to be read will serve a good purpose. Mainly there is a way to disagree and a way not to disagree. Your comment falls in the second category.
Eschatology is an area of Christian doctrine and thought where Christians cannot be dogmatic. I know fellow believers who hold different positions about the return of Christ. Each of them love God… revere His Word… are prayer warriors… they seek to honor the Lord in their life… and are godly individuals. Yet they disagree about how to interpret the Scripture when it comes to the return of Christ. I admire them because their differences of opinion do not drive wedges between them and it is not a cause for them to attack, deride, or belittle one another. They have civil, respectful, and collegiate discussions that end up encouraging one another when they are through.
As Paul wrote in Romans 14:5, “Every man should be fully convinced in his own mind,” shows there is wiggle room when it comes to certain nuances of Christian belief. What is more important is to build up rather than tear down. It is better to exemplify love rather than being puffed up with pride because of our knowledge (1 Cor 8:1b).
I will not address the substance of your comment for obvious reasons. My desire is to remind us all to be kind and tenderhearted lest we wound the conscious of fellow believers.