ACTS 23:6 —HOPE & RESURRECTION. PART C: The Order of the Resurrection Process

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According to Christian beliefs, you can only get to heaven and God through Jesus. How did people get to heaven before Jesus came on the scene?

Answer: They didn’t.

Jesus opened up the “New and Living Way”—that is, he opened up the heavenly calling.

The rest of mankind from Adam until now who have not come in through Christ will get a resurrection on the earth. You are familiar with the Lord’s prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on the earth as it is in heaven…”

The faithful Christian is part of the “first resurrection.” If there is a first then there is at least one more. They are the resurrection of the “just” or justified, and the rest of the world is the “unjust” or unjustified by Christ. Their resurrection is not to condemnation as some translation say, but to judgement—that is the Millennium is a period of trial for all of mankind. Not a sentencing, but trial. They come back and will “know the Lord from the least unto the greatest”—they get an opportunity not afforded them in this life.

Two Salvations and Two Resurrections

Here are some texts that explain that there is one Ransom but two salvations and two resurrections.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

“…There will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just [the spiritual classes: Bride of Christ & Church, and the earthly class: the Ancient Worthies] and the unjust (the world of mankind)” (Acts 24:15).

“(28) Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, (29) and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life (Heavenly Salvation), those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment (Earthly)” (John 5:28-29, NAS).

The Overcomers in the 1^st Resurrection

In John 16:33 Jesus said “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We read in 1 John 5:4 that “everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

These “overcomers” or “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37) have been redeemed from Adamic condemnation (Romans 8:1), and committed their earthly life to be a “living sacrifice” in the present time (Romans 12:1). They have become begotten to a new life, a spiritual life, and thus are on trial for their spiritual life presently. These are the Church members. The Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, RVIC: “(51) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall all fall asleep [Acts 7:60- also says “fell asleep”], but we shall not all be changed (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, in the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

[NOTE: RVIC – THE REVISED VERSION (AMERICAN EDITION) IMPROVED & CORRECTED BIBLE – is the most accurate up to date English version of the Holy Scriptures available, compiled from manuscripts discovered and published to AD 1999.]

The ones who died long ago were “raised” to life at the Lord’s return in 1874, at the sound of the last, or seventh, trumpet. Those who die within the present harvest period of the Gospel Age are “changed” at the moment of death.

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The ORDER of the Resurrection Process

1^st – Christ, “the firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:23)—Christ has inherited DIVINE NATURE = IMMORTAL LIFE.

2^nd – The Sleeping Saints—these are the OVERCOMERS and they that are Christ’s at his coming i.e. the Bride of Christ—the Elect, 144,000 members of Christ’s “body”.

3^rd – The Harvest Saints—these are also the OVERCOMERS—the Bride of Christ, the 144,000 raised “in the twinkling of an eye” in new, spiritual bodies and inherit IMMORTAL LIFE since 1874 until the completion of the Bride of Christ.

“God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40). This talks about the necessity of the Church to be a part of blessing all the families of the world.

What is meant by “a better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35?

This refers to the resurrection of the Ancient Worthies, the “Heros of Faith.” Some of the Ancient Worthies are described in Hebrews chapter 11. In Hebrews 11:39 and 35 we read, “… these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise… (35) Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.”

It is understood that Apostle Paul meant that the ancient worthies receive a better resurrection (i.e. eternal life) than those received who were revived temporarily in the Old Testament (which is the subject of Hebrews 11:35).

The Ancient Worthies will be the first humans resurrected onto the earth in the Kingdom. They will be raised perfect, as they already were justified by their faith. They will lead mankind on earth. Psalms 45:16 refers to them as “princes in all the earth.”

4^th – The Great Multitude & Ancient Worthies—

The Great Multitude:

The Great Multitude will be resurrected after the GREAT TRIBULATION (Armageddon, Battle of Gog and Magog) starts, as indicated in the following passages of Scripture in the Bible:-

Genesis 19:23 – “The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.”

Zoar was the city, not “the mountain.” The mountain, to which Lot fled subsequently, represents the heavenly realm where Lot later went to dwell (Genesis 19:30). Lot is often seen as a picture of the Great Company, who lingers through the severe troubles that close the present Harvest period.

Matthew 25:1-13 – the five wise and the five foolish virgins.

Micah 7:1-7 – here the Great Multitude realize that the Bride of Christ is taken and there is a time of God’s wrath when deplorable and fearsome conditions on earth remain and all faithful men have perished and there is no one upright on earth – yet in verse 7, God delivers them as they “watch in hope”.

Revelation 7:14 – “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Members of the Great Company class have received purging experiences whenever they may have lived during the Gospel Age (since AD 33). However, Revelation 7:14 speaks in particular of members of the Great Company who are living during the Harvest and pass through the “four winds” that close the harvest. In the Revelation 7:3-4, the 144,000 class are “sealed” before the four winds blow which may signify that they are taken to glory—but the Great Company class linger and pass through the experience.

The Ancient Worthies:

The Ancient Worthies—it is possible that these faithful ones of old will be resurrected towards the end of Armageddon to bring peace during the 7^th (last) plague described in Revelation chapter 16. That seventh plague includes a battle, an earthquake, and a plague of hail.

The Ancient Worthies, or at least some of them, evidently will be raised in the midst of the crisis of Israel invaded by the coalition of Gog and his allies. This is suggested by Micah 5:5, and 2 Kings 3:10,11, and context.

“And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men” (Micah 5:5).

Assyria—represents Gog with his invading hosts, thus Russia, together with their allies.

——-[NOTE: The battle at Israel when God fights for them is described also in Ezekiel chapters 38 to 39. Here we again see that the coalition that comes against Israel includes:

Gog (Russia) which is part of Old Christendom
Persia (Iran)
Cush (perhaps Muslim black Africa),
Libya (Libya, perhaps North central Africa, not including Egypt)
Gomer (perhaps Western Europe),
Togarmah (Turkey).

Except perhaps for Gomer, the identification made here are customary, not unusual, they are however interpretive, so let us “watch and pray”.

On the other side, in the author’s understanding (and this is interpretive), is (according to what we read in Ezekiel 38:13):

Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabia, always against Iran),
the Merchants of Tarshish (England), and
the young lions thereof (American, Canada, Australia). They are part of newer Christendom, and not part of the alliance of the sixth plague whose representative governments fall at Israel. The victory at Israel is orchestrated by God, using the forces of the Israelis assisted by God’s overruling power.]——-

Seven shepherds—represents the Church completed beyond the vail. The word “shepherd” was a way of referring to kings in the language of the day. (For as a shepherd has control of his flock, so a king has control of his people.)

Eight principal men—Eight “princes” of men, as contrasted to the seven kings (shepherds). Thus those who will be “princes in all the earth” (who are the Ancient Worthies.) The number seven is about the Church because of the seven stages of the Church—the period following the Gospel Age is then period “eight,” and that is when the Ancient Worthies come back. Thus the number “eight” is associated with them.

In Micah 5:6 we read, “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.”

Here it is explained that Israel, under the hand of the completed heavenly Church above and the advice of the Ancient Worthies among them, will have a dramatic
military victory.

The land of Nimrod is the land of Assyria, perhaps because Asshur who came from the land of Nimrod (Shinar) built the initial area of Asshur (Genesis 10:10-12).

Our second lot of verses quoted above is from 2 Kings 3:10-11:

^“10And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! ¹¹But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

Elisha represents the Ancient Worthies, raised at a point of crisis in Israel. Some of the Great Company class may linger to see the intervention of God on behalf of Israel. This may be what precipitates their expressions as prophesied in Jeremiah 8:20, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

[NOTE: Elisha does represent the Great Company class when they are separated from Elijah (the Church) by the whirlwind. When Elisha then crosses the Jordan from east to west, after the taking of Elijah, Elisha thereafter is a picture of the Ancient Worthies in their experiences during the Millennium. Refer to 2 Kings chapter 2.]

5^th – The Remainder of Mankind

All will have an adequate opportunity to be on trial for life in the Kingdom before judgement is received. (Isaiah 65:20)

The “Highway of Holiness” operating during the Millennium will lead people from ungodliness, to holiness as we read in Isaiah 35:8,

“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”

John 5:28-29 refers to the resurrection of judgment, which will be the point of decision between self will and God’s will:

“²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (judgment).”

All mankind will be raised by Christ and the Church. They will be raised as human beings, and during the Millennium they will be developed and prepared to receive everlasting life in the judgment following the Millennium. The world will be natural being, fleshly beings, as at present. “There is a natural body (human) and there is a spiritual body” (spirit beings) (1 Corinthians 15:44). The world will be natural, fleshly, human beings.

When is the Resurrection Complete?

The resurrection will be complete when all who have died are raised again. The curse will be lifted at the beginning of the age, by the application of the Ransom for the world of mankind, in order to allow the resurrection of the dead.

The resurrection is the only hope for the dead. Let us conclude with John 11:23-26—

“23Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’

24Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’

25Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”

The resurrection is our ONLY HOPE and an integral part of God’s Divine Plan!

How thankful we are to our Heavenly Father for such a Perfect Plan that will result in eternal life for all.

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References

Some source material was used from the power point presentation (a BibleTruth411 Video) titled “The Hope and Resurrection of the Dead.”

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ACTS 23:6 —HOPE & RESURRECTION. PART B. Will Mankind Resurrect With the Same Mind?

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Why is a Resurrection Necessary?

The Apostle Paul explains why a resurrection is necessary through stating a precious promise in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, (21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive.”

The resurrection is necessitated by the fall, if God is to recover the fallen human race.

The Greek word in the Bible used for “resurrection” is “anastasis”—(noun).
The “ana” means again, the “stasis” means a standing.
It has the connotation to be lifted up back to full and perfect manhood…. Back to perfection.

The Old Testament does not state this word “resurrection”; it is only found in the New Testament.

So can we find this term expressed anywhere in the Old Testament? Let’s take a look at some Old Testament scriptures.

“You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals” (Psalm 90:3, NIV).

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10)

“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away” (Isaiah 51:11, NIV).

God doesn’t just want a blinded obedient creation
but one that will actually REJOICE after returning from death!

Men Sleeping in the Dust

Mankind isn’t just poor, but impoverished!

We read in 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.”

Job confirmed this expectation of a resurrection in Job 14:13-15, “(13) 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! (14) If a man die, shall he live again?… (15) Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.”

Job expected to be remembered and restored. Job believed he would be awoke so much, that he asked God to put him in the grave until all his trouble would pass!

So in the Old Testament there was the understanding of the concept of being re-awakened from the sleep of death.

Release from the Prison of Death

In Psalm 146:7 we read,“The Lord looseth the prisoners …”

When you are in prison you cannot get out. The whole purpose of the prison is to keep you in. Until the door of death is unlocked, there is no coming out.

“Looseth”—freed from death as until then, there is no coming out of this condition.

In Job 3:18 we read, “There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.”

Death is oblivion—there is no consciousness there… resting not in the same place of course but meaning in the same condition.

In Isaiah 49:8-9 we read, “ (8) I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; (9) That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.”

We see a glimpse of how this will be accomplished—Christ and his ‘body’ (the Elect)—through them the New Covenant will begin once they are complete.

GOD will unlock the prison house of the grave then!

“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” (Hosea 13:14).

“(54) …Death is swallowed up in victory. (55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15: 54-57).

Will Mankind Resurrect With the Same Mind?

Yes. The mind you die with the mind you will come up with. If they were constantly thinking of evil or immoral… they will have to correct that!

Here are some verses to prove this:

“… if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be” (Ecclesiastes 11:3).

If they are earnestly seeking God they will have no problems in changing their characters.

^“As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, … even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all” (Ecclesiastes 11:5).

^“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

In all the trials of life in the kingdom in perfect conditions wherein righteousness rules, mankind will have to make righteous choices to live forever.

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The principle in scripture is, described as the sowing and reaping one; that what we sow we will reap…

It seems today in the world that the wicked prosper, right?
But there is no fooling God!

As the way they go down, so they will come up… it will catch up with them as they will have to unlearn the unrighteousness and to sanctify themselves.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

You can fool the government …
You can fool the courts …
You can fool the majority of people …
But! You cannot fool God!

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing both the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

^“For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

So, the character you go down with, will be the character that follows in the resurrection.

Wickedness and deceit will be their own punishment in the kingdom, so they will have much further to have to go, to change their characters.

But can God Restore a Mind? Yes!

“(29) Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, (30) to bring back his soul from the pit [“sheoul” = hell, pit, grave,] to be enlightened with the light of the living” (Job 33:29-30).

The light of the living concerns the mind, the intellect. Resurrected humanity on earth will “be enlightened” again with the light of life. Their resurrection from the dead will be clear and convincing evidence to them of God’s wonderful blessing on their behalf. This itself will provide an opportunity for them to begin anew on a better footing than before, with faith in God and appreciation for His kindness.

This favorable new beginning for mankind, each one individually, being raised again on earth during the Millennium, will come through the reign of Christ with his “Bride” (comprising 144,000 members, Revelation 7 and 14). Then evil will be restrained, rather than allowed to proceed, as at present. The Spirit of understanding from God will be poured out upon the hearts of humanity, starting with the nation of Israel (Zechariah 12:10).

The spirit of understanding will bring joy to mankind in doing what is pleasing to the Heavenly Father. They will seek after righteousness when they recognize the blessings that shall be gained in doing so. As Proverbs 21:21 says, “whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”

In Jeremiah 31 we read about the Spirit of understanding coming to Israel when they finally recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

“(31) Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah … (33) This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (34) And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

After Israel has been inducted into this “new covenant,” at the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Reign, they will be used by God to extend the same blessings outward to the remainder of the world. Then all will be able to receive the spirit of understanding from God. “And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest” (Hebrews 8:11).

At the outset of the Millennial Age, the ransom will be applied for the world in order to remove the curse. The removal of the curse is the first necessary step in order to proceed with the resurrection. However, that does not mean the resurrected individuals are justified. They will be sinful people still (because they will return back with the same thoughts, as mentioned earlier in this post). Many of those raised will be without faith, and far short of good works. Teaching people about God and the standards of righteousness will take time. Individually, the blessed influences of the Kingdom will bring people to repentance, faith, and obedience. Ultimately they will be righteous and holy. As this process continues, they will be blessed also by physical blessings of health and vitality, returning to the perfection of being that Adam enjoyed in the garden before his sin.

The Basis of Our Hope

The basis of our hope IS the resurrection of the dead, and that ALL who die, shall come back alive.

“(20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (23) 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” (1 Corinthians 15:20-24).

All will be made alive. There is a hope to the resurrection.

SOME EVEN TODAY SAY— THERE IS NO RESURRECTION!

But the Bible clearly teaches us that our HOPE is based on the resurrection—the key to our faith!

Here is a beautiful explanation that there IS a resurrection:

^“(12) 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. (15) 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. (18) Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15: 12-19).

The Apostle Paul is saying if your assumption is there is NO RESURRECTION, then you have NO HOPE!

The Apostle Paul is teaching us that the ONLY HOPE IS the resurrection!

The Church class (those running in the race of the High Calling) understand this and they understand that since Jesus did resurrect—this is our seal of approval that there IS a resurrection. The resurrection is really key to our faith.

Is the resurrection illustrated in the Scriptures?

Yes. Some temporary re-standings from the dead are illustrated in the Bible and as listed below, which demonstrated the capability of there being a permanent resurrection of all those in the grave:-

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Remembering Those in the Grave

The hope of man is that they will be remembered by others. Yet are they?

In Psalm 6:5 we read, “in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”

As generations pass, people are largely forgotten as explained in Psalm 102:11-12,^“11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. ¹²But thou, O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.”

Although mankind cannot remember people even 100 years ago, God can remember all generations and that too, means, that God CAN restore!

Can God Put a New Mind in an Old Body?

Of course God can!

In Acts 26:8 (NIV), the Apostle Paul explains to King Agrippa that it is because of this hope in the resurrection from the dead that the Jews are accusing him and states, “why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”

If God has the ability to allow for the creation of 100 billion galaxies, then there is no doubt that God can restore all mankind in the soon to begin Kingdom!

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In Isaiah 40:28 (KJV) we read, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”

Why Restore the Old Mind?

In Mark 12:27 we are told that our Heavenly Father “is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living…”

The Bible explains that God has appointed a day, in which “He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

This necessitates the remembrance of the consequences of sin.

All mankind who resurrect on earth will have the chance to gain eternal life so that there is PERFECT JOY FOREVERMORE as it is disobedience to God’s commands that led to PAIN, SORROW, TEARS, SUFFERING and UNHAPPINESS… while OBEDIENCE to RIGHTEOUSNESS is what pleases the Creator of our Universe and adhering to this, will lead to ETERNAL JOY!

The Bible assures us that God will “swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces… for the Lord hath spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8).

Acknowledgement

Br. Bob Goodman — for source material from his power-point presentation (a “BibleTruth411” – YouTube Video) “The Hope and Resurrection of the Dead”.

Br. David Rice — assistance with content and editing.

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ACTS 23:6 —HOPE & RESURRECTION. PART A: What is Jesus All About?

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What is the Good News of the Bible all about? One 5-letter word, JESUS!

It is this good news about Jesus, that Philip explained about to the Ethiopian eunuch whom he was sent to minister unto (possibly by a vision or a dream), and to whom he explained the passage of Isaiah 35 (which the eunuch had been reading on his way home from Jerusalem).

“(34) And the eunuch said to Philip, ‘About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ (35) Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:34,35).

Philip baptized the eunuch while on the road that went from Jerusalem to Gaza, before being suddenly taken away by “the Spirit of the Lord,” and the eunuch did not see his again, but went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:36-39).

What is Jesus all about?

Jesus is all about the “repentance and forgiveness of sin”—these being the exact words of Apostle Peter “and the other Apostles” as documented by Luke in Acts 5:30-31 when they had been summed to stand before the High Court officials of the Sanhedrin and were questioned by the High priest (who was Caiphas at that time—John 18:24) about why they were not obeying the strict orders given of not to “teach in this (Jesus’) name” (Acts 5:28).

Jesus is also all about the hope and resurrection of the dead.

Let us explain this by taking a look at the Apostle Paul’s experiences and words:-

When the commander in Rome was made aware by the Apostle Paul himself that Paul was a Roman citizen, he summoned Paul to stand before the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin (comprised of Pharisees and Sadducees) to find out why Paul had been accused and flogged by the Jews the day before. Then after stating to the Sanhedrin that he had “fulfilled his duty to God in all good conscience to this day” he was hit in the mouth by those standing near him in the crowd, as ordered by Ananias, (Acts 23:1-3)—who was the Father-in-law of Caiaphas (the High Priest) and had also been a high priest himself, hence still carried this title and still had his opinion count heavily amongst the Sanhedrin.

And now, perceiving that no speech of his could affect his hearers, the Apostle Paul “cried out,” “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question” (Acts 23:6).

It was not just the Apostle Paul who taught about this glorious doctrine of hope, as we read in Acts 4:2. Other Apostles such as Peter and John also “taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” This “greatly disturbed” the priests, the temple guard and the Sadducees (Acts 4:1).

Do we likewise share the good news about the resurrection to those around us?

Do we help people recognize God’s loving and merciful character helping destroy the false beliefs of a God who would eternally punish and send his creation to a place of burning hell fire to be tortured for eternity or purgatory (which is not even a word in the Bible)?

When was the last time we explained to someone:

the truths about the Ransom—the whole foundational doctrine behind the forgiveness of sin for every single human that ever lived …
the two salvations …
the truth about the soul—that it IS mortal …
God’s plan of restitution …
the truth about hell?

Are we also, today, “prisoners in the chains of Christ”… (mentally perhaps) because of boldly sharing what is Godly truth because it is too glorious to keep just for oneself? (Acts 17:32)

Do not worry that you are mocked!

This is what the sufferings of Christ are all about and those who suffer for righteousness sake, are blessed “for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthains 4:17).

How gloriously logical these words are, and give sense to the questioning mind and thus provide hope and comfort that, “If there be no resurrection of the dead, then they that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished” (1 Corinthians 15:13, 18).

Like the early Christians, we too, are scattered all over the world and either alone or in small groups of two or three we preach Jesus and the resurrection.

Let us tell the world
there is a better day coming!

Let us tell others that there is coming a time when there shall be no more death or dying but a resurrection from the dead that will ultimately bring mankind back from the dead!

Dear friends,

Armageddon is actually a great thing, coming and here is why…

It is a sifting out and cleansing process … it is how the world is to be bleached out from all unrighteousness and the JUDGEMENT OF GOD has begun with His Own house—the Church (1 Peter 4:17)—causing GODLY JUSTICE to change the heart and mind of the one called by God from one that was ignorant in much, to one that UNDERSTANDS WHAT GOD EXPECTS and is reckoned as RIGHTEOUS in ALL so that one can be in HARMONY with GODLY RIGHTEOUSNESS for it is a “terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

It is part of the HOPE of the precious promises in the Bible. It involves the resurrection of the dead in the resurrection!

This death and dying condition we all find ourselves in, is unnatural.

Have you ever come across a dying loved one who says they feel like they are twenty six years old yet they are in an eighty plus year old body?

People are caught in this trap they can’t escape from. Yet death today is inevitable. It was purchased by Jesus’ sacrifice but death will be overcome!

The hope that will be accomplished IS a resurrection from the death.