Prophecy And The Resurrection

What we really believe about Christ affects everything for the Christian.  For example, there have been those who did not believe in the resurrection since the very beginning.  The Jews claimed that the disciples just stole the body and lied about it,  Some so called  Bible Scholars” have claimed that the disciples just went to the wrong tomb and were mistaken about him being resurrected.  Paul’s statements in I Corinthians 15:3-8 makes both these positions untenable if we believe the Bible to be true.  “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.  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.”

Other “scholars” have postulated that Jesus did not really die, but only passed out as a result of his suffering and later revived, rolling away the stone and coming out of the grave in his own power.  The reason the soldiers stuck the spear into his heart was to make sure he was dead, and the separation of the blood from the plasma indicates he had been dead for some time before they did so.  It seems incredible that person wounded so severely could recover so completely that three days later, without food or treatment, while still wrapped in grave clothes like a mummy, could recover sufficiently as to roll away a stone that a group of at least three women coming to the grave were not sure they could move. 

Despite the evidence, some have believed these so-called scholars, while others have accepted the resurrection as fact but doubt the prophecies that people will be resurrected.  Paul points out that the resurrection is central to the entire Christian  belief in I Corinthians 15:12-15.  “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  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.”  If the resurrection is not true, then all of Christianity is a fraud and those who claim to be Christians are misleading people.   While some may be deceived, those “scholars” who insist the resurrection if false while professing to be Christians are knowingly and deliberately promoting a fraud, promising those who believe an eternal hope they know to be a lie, as I Corinthians 15:16-19 states.   “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Fortunately, we have evidence that Christ was raised from the dead, as Paul indicated earlier, giving assurance that we will have the eternal life we have been according to I Corinthians 15:20-22.  “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Our entire belief in the Second Coming hinges on Christ’s resurrection and his coming back for his people.  We need to understand that things must follow a prescribed order, as I Corinthians 15:23-28 explains.  “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.  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.  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”

Christ was the first fruits, the first to be resurrected.  When he comes, he will raise his people from the dead and then establish his kingdom on earth.  When everything is completely under his control then he will relinquish control to God, much like a conquering general relinquishing control to his king or president.  Revelation 20:6-10 describes his reign and elimination of all opposition.  “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.  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

According to Acts 17:31, Christ’s resurrection is the evidence that salvation is real and that we will be resurrected. “ Because he hath appointed a day, in the 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.”