THE RESURRECTION

THE RESURRECTION

The subject of resurrection has many different interpretations and each denomination interpret this subject in their own way.
But in order to get to the bottom of the issue it is good to collect all possible passages and statements together and draw a certain conclusion according to verses found.

Hosea 6.2
2."He will revive us after two days, He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before Him."


The magic number "3" appears in many places of the Bible, and some of them related to resurrection:

"Three days and Three nights." (Hosea 6.2) (Jonah 1.17) (Matthew 12.38-40, 16.21, 17.22-23, 20.18-19) (Mark 8.31, 9.31, 10.33-34) (Luke 9.22, 18.32-33, 24.5-7.46) (John 2.18-22, 11.17.39) (Acts 10.40) (1Corinthians 15.4) (Revelation 11.9.11)


The Resurrection of believers in Christ seems will be similar to Jesus' resurrection.

Matthew 17.23
23."... and they will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised.” And they were greatly distressed.

We know that Jesus resurrected in the physical immortal body, body that never dies. Does Jesus need that immortal physical body? Not really, because He already immortal in His Holy Spirit, why then He need immortal physical body?

The answer may be such that Jesus wanted to show His power over physical death, and reassure the world that He is the Master of physical Life and of physical Death and He is true GOD, the Son of Almighty Who never dies, nor in Spirit, nether in physical body.

The Old Testament also often speaks about resurrection of the dead and presented number examples of such resurrection, particularly in the Book of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37.1-14).

Because we had been created in physical body and received energy of life from the Breath of GOD, and at first we are created as immortal beings, so, in resurrection of our physical remains (only those who worthy of it) we will receive new immortal physical body, in order to continue very first plan and desire of GOD to create immortal physical beings, as Adam and Eve were at the beginning.


Some people confused body and soul and clamed that our soul is actually our physical body, which is of course complete nonsense, but some people truly believe it.

Of course such assertion can be easily disproof by numerous statements of the Bible where soul and physical body totally separated from one another as completely different entities, and related to one another only if they are together.

Ecclesiastes 12.7
7.then the dust (human physical body) will return to the earth as it was, (Genesis 3.19) (Job 4.19) (Psalm 103.14) (Ecclesiast 3.20, 12.7) and the spirit will return to GOD Who gave it.


Another misconception concerning death and resurrection is when certain Christian's groups clamed that death is actually "sleep."

Mentioned in many places of the Bible so called "sleep" presented as metaphor, a figure of speech, indicating actual death of human being.

This misconception became a doctrine of 7-days Adventists. In they argument they always presenting passages of the Bible mentioned "sleep" as substitute to death, and actual death for them seems does not exist.

But they cannot say anything and usually ignore to comment on the words of Jesus Christ to His disciples in this occasion:

John 11.11-15
11.After saying this He told them, “Our friend Lazarus had fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.”

12.The disciples said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep he will be all right.”

13.Jesus however had been speaking about his death, but they though that He was referring merely to sleep.

14.Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.

15.For you sake I am glad I was not there so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”


Jesus metaphorically addressed His disciples when He said that Lazarus had fallen asleep (verse 11).

But His disciples took His statement literally, and they answered to Jesus appropriately according to condition of natural sleep He had mentioned, that Lazarus is OK, he just sleeping (verse 13).

But Jesus did not meant this, and told them straightforward and very directly, plainly, "Lazarus is dead." (verse 14).

So, Jesus Himself separated and made distinct difference between "sleep" as metaphor, and actual death, and shown by His statement that these two condition are not the same but completely separated entities, and should always taken as such.

But why Bible often presenting death as "sleep" in the form of metaphor? Because only GOD is able resurrect real dead to life, and for Him all dead humans fallen "asleep" until He "wake them up." Death as such does not exist for GOD, and because of it He treats death as merely "sleep."

But for human beings death is real, and we have no power to resurrect dead (unless we receive such power from the Lord). And we know very well that from sleep we can weak up, but from death there is no return, it is permanent state of none-existence. Our physical bodies like bio-degradable plastic bags that after a certain period of time disappear into environment from which they are made.

Genesis 3.19
19.”By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, out of it you were taken, you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3.19) (Job 4.19) (Psalm 103.14) (Ecclesiast 3.20, 12.7)

"Dust" is a metaphor, which means biological and chemical components of the Earth, from which physical human body actually formed and made by GOD.

But resurrection has another very important part that cannot be ignored. What about if nothing left from a physical body? Like cremation for example, or those who perish in wars or in some accident where is nothing left from the body.

Yes, in a certain circumstances, BEYOND HUMAN CONTROL, some people perish and nothing left of their bodies, even ashes. In this case it will be reasonable to assume that GOD is capable to give new bodies to such people, if of course they deserved and worthy to be resurrected in such way according to GOD'S will.

But what about those who had been cremated according to their own will or to the will of others?

All places of the Bible concerning resurrection specify that resurrection of the physical body comes from its bones, so bones must be preserved in order for the physical body to be resurrected, no other exception from this rule is given in the Bible.

So those who have control over their bodies and have time to make a decision and a will concerning their burial, a question for such people will be: "Do you made right decision to cremate yourself after death or not?"