Resurrection of the Saints

Prayer:  With expectant hearts and minds, we seek your truth, O God. In this study, help us to be attentive as we listen, careful as we speak, and awake to your wisdom. Open our hearts to your Scripture and give us the courage to change in light of what we read. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

With your group, take turns reading the introduction and text and answering the questions in each section.

Introduction

“Surely God would not have created such a being as man, with an ability to grasp the infinite, to exist only for a day! No, no, man was made for immortality.”  —Abraham Lincoln

Is death the end?

Ancient Judaism posited that the dead are asleep, not experiencing anything, and the Old Testament Scriptures agree: one day, God will raise the dead and judge them based on their thoughts and actions.

The Jewish book of Maccabees records a Jewish revolt against the Seleucids that was led by one family, the Maccabees (these historical events gave rise to the modern celebration of Hanukkah). In the book of Maccabees, martyrs died while saying that they expected to rise from the dead again:

And when he was at his last breath, he said, “You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws.” 2 Maccabees 7:9 (New Revised Standard Version)

With his blood now completely drained from him, he tore out his entrails, took them in both hands and hurled them at the crowd, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to give them back to him again. This was the manner of his death. 2 Maccabees 14:46

The Maccabees and their revolt happened before Christ and Christianity. These Jewish followers of God understood their Scriptures to say that God’s faithful would rise from the dead. Now that Christ has come, Christians believe that saints (that is, everyone who has accepted Christ) will live forever on a renewed earth in the future kingdom of God.

This study will begin in Old Testament prophetic portrayals of the resurrection to show that ancient Israel believed in a future resurrection. From there, we will continue through three New Testament descriptions of the resurrection of the saints.

Section 1: The prophet Isaiah writes that at some point in the future, God will end death forever.

Isaiah 25:6–8^{1 25:6}      The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will hold a banquet for all the nations on this mountain.
At this banquet there will be plenty of meat and aged wine—
tender meat and choicest wine.
^25:7       On this mountain he will swallow up
the shroud that is over all the peoples,
the woven covering that is over all the nations;
^25:8       he will swallow up death permanently.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from every face,
and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.
Indeed, the LORD has announced it!

Question 1: Describe your general impression of the scene in these verses.

Question 2: This section doesn’t just talk about the end of death. What else does it describe?

Section 2: Both the ancient prophet Daniel and Jesus say that at a future time, dead people will be resurrected and divided into two groups.

Daniel 12:2–3
^12:2       Many of those who sleep
in the dusty ground will awake—
some to everlasting life,
and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
^12:3       But the wise will shine
like the brightness of the heavenly expanse.
And those bringing many to righteousness
will be like the stars forever and ever.

John 5:28–29
^5:28 “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his (Jesus’) voice ^5:29 and will come out—the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.”

Question 1: How do we know that Daniel 12:2–3 is talking about the dead?

Question 2: What are the two “types” of resurrections Jesus talks about in John 5:29?

Section 3: When Jesus and Martha talk about her recently-deceased brother Lazarus, Martha says that she believes he will be resurrected in the future.

John 11:23–25
^11:23 Jesus replied, “Your brother will come back to life again.” ^11:24 Martha said, “I know that he will come back to life again in the resurrection at the last day.” ^11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies.”

Question 1: In verse 25, what does Jesus say is the qualification to “live even if he dies”?

Question 2: When she starts speaking to Jesus, when does Martha believe Lazarus will come back to life?

Section 4: In a New Testament letter, Paul writes that Christ is the “firstfruits” (first of a harvest) from the dead, and that when Christ returns the people who belong to him will join him in immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:20–26
^15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ^15:21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. ^15:22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ^15:23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him. ^15:24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. ^15:25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ^15:26 The last enemy to be eliminated is death.

1 Corinthians 15:50–53
^15:50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ^15:51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ^15:52 in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ^15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Question 1: Verse 21 says that just as death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. Who?

Question 2: In verse 26, what is the last “enemy” that will be put under Jesus’ feet?

Question 3: Verse 51 says, “we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” According to the context, what will we be changed from? What will we be changed into?

Section 5: According to the letter to the Philippians, we wait for the Lord Jesus Christ to make our bodies like his immortal body.

Philippians 3:20–21
^3:20 Our citizenship is in heaven—and we also eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ^3:21who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

Question 1: In this context, what do you think the word “transform” means?

Read through the texts again below.²

Section 1

Isaiah 25:6–8
^25:6      The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will hold a banquet for all the nations on this mountain.
At this banquet there will be plenty of meat and aged wine—
tender meat and choicest wine.
^25:7       On this mountain he will swallow up
the shroud that is over all the peoples,
the woven covering that is over all the nations;
^25:8       he will swallow up death permanently.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from every face,
and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.
Indeed, the LORD has announced it!

Section 2

Daniel 12:2–3
^12:2       Many of those who sleep
in the dusty ground will awake—
some to everlasting life,
and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
^12:3       But the wise will shine
like the brightness of the heavenly expanse.
And those bringing many to righteousness
will be like the stars forever and ever.

John 5:28–29
^5:28 “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his (Jesus’) voice ^5:29 and will come out—the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.”

Section 3

John 11:23–25
^11:23 Jesus replied, “Your brother will come back to life again.” ^11:24 Martha said, “I know that he will come back to life again in the resurrection at the last day.” ^11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies.”

Section 4

1 Corinthians 15:20–26
^15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ^15:21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man. ^15:22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ^15:23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; then when Christ comes, those who belong to him. ^15:24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he has brought to an end all rule and all authority and power. ^15:25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ^15:26 The last enemy to be eliminated is death.

1 Corinthians 15:50–53
^15:50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ^15:51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ^15:52 in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ^15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Section 5

Philippians 3:20–21
^3:20 Our citizenship is in heaven—and we also eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ^3:21who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

Discussion and application questions

1. Some religions don’t teach a resurrection, they teach that people go to the afterlife immediately upon death. What if some people do go to the afterlife years (or decades) before their loved ones? How might that be good or bad? Discuss.
2. Before Jesus, people had been raised from the dead.³ How can the Bible still say that Jesus is the first to be resurrected? (hint: 1 Corinthians 15:50)
3. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, Paul writes that he does not want the church to “grieve as others, who have no hope.” How does the resurrection change our grief?
4. The Bible asserts two “groups” or “types” of resurrection: one resulting in life and one resulting in condemnation. But what if there was only one group and everyone was raised to eternal life? Do you think that would be fair? Why or why not?
5. Have you ever lost a loved one? Share about how belief in the resurrection helped you get through the grief process.

Conclusion

Challenge: This week, walk in peace knowing that the dead will be resurrected. Prioritize Christ as your Lord, knowing he is the way to eternal life after the resurrection.

Blessing: May you cherish this precious life, knowing that the dead are resting in peace. May you go in strength knowing that the dead are not lost forever. Jesus will return to awaken his own to enjoy life in the age to come.

Other Scriptures that Teach Resurrection

Job 14:7, 10–15; 19:25–27

Psalm 17:15

Hosea 13:14

Matthew 8:11

Acts 24:15

Colossians 3:4

Hebrews 11:17–19

Revelation 20:4–6

1. Scripture and/or notes quoted by permission. Quotations are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.[↩]
2. We find that rereading the text is very helpful—please don’t skip this part of the study![↩]
3. For examples, see 1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:32–37; and 2 Kings 13:21.[↩]