It must be understood that throughout the Bible mankind is offered a sure and certain hope of life beyond the grave. The idea of a resurrection was known and
declared in the oldest book in the scriptures. Job spoke in glowing terms of his confidence in the rising of the dead.
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and
that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me (19:25-27).
Moses, David, and many of the prophets made reference to or gave promise of
the hope of living again. Yet strangely, after Job’s grand declaration, the statements regarding the resurrection become vague and shadowy. One can
almost sense the effects of sin and the weight of generations of transgression and death. Rather than experiencing stronger hope and confidence in a life beyond, humanity has become bound by sin to a life like that of beasts, who can only search the earth for today’s provision with no look heavenward and no eternity in mind.
The Holy Spirit records the words of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived,
in Ecclesiastes which indicate that the hope of life beyond this temporal realm had been veiled in darkness and hidden by uncertainty.
How different is the New Testament revelation! The Lord Jesus Christ appears, and HE IS the resurrection and the life
(John 11:25). Since this is so, we would expect Him to drive out all the darkness and chase away the shadows and reveal to us the full truth of the life beyond. This is exactly what He does.
As we read the four gospel accounts we are struck by the fact that every time
the Lord spoke of His death and resurrection the disciples were totally confused. They had no idea what He was talking about. At times they murmured and reasoned among themselves; at times they rebuked Him; at other times they tried to converse with the Lord on the subject, only to reveal by their words that they had no concept of the true nature of the resurrection.
We should rejoice in all God has given us. Not only do we have the blessed hope of eternal life, but we also have an understanding thereof. I do not think myself wiser than the Old Testament heroes. I do not think myself more holy than the saints of old. Nor do I believe myself to be a more faithful follower of Christ than were the first disciples. Yea, rather, I give all the glory to God for giving us the truth in the simple language of written scripture and for coming to dwell within us in the person of the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us into all truth (John 16:13).
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There are so many things that we know as simply as a child knows multiplication tables and state capitals. Yet a careful reading of the Bible leads us to realize that we could know nothing of spiritual things were it not for the illumination of God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10). We should repent of all pride of knowledge and intellect and give all glory to the Revealer of truth.
Many passages in the Bible seem to teach only a general resurrection (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15). However, a closer look will make it quite evident that there is a period of time between the raising from the dead of different groups of persons (Revelation 20:1-5; John 11:23).
In Jesus’ day, men and women had a firm belief in the resurrection OF the dead, but had no concept of the resurrection FROM the dead (John 11:23-25).
A resurrection of the just, which excludes the unjust, is clearly revealed in the word of God (Luke 20:35-36; 14:14; 1Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 11:35).
In 1 Corinthians 15 the Bible compares the first resurrection to a harvest. As such, it will have three aspects: the first fruits, the main harvest, and the gleanings.
Each of the three aspects of a harvest produces the same fruit as the others but in varying quantities depending upon the times and the seasons. So it is with the three divisions of the first resurrection.
In Florida tomatoes are planted in small pots indoors while it is still winter.
After the last frost the small plants are set out in the garden or field. Some fruit will form early on these plants and will ripen several weeks before the bulk of the crop.
These early tomatoes make up what is known as the first fruits. In early summer the plants are fully grown and so full of tomatoes that one must stake or cage the plants to keep them upright. Soon the fruit begins to ripen, and tomatoes must be picked every day to keep up with the bountiful production.
This is the main harvest. When the main harvest is done, the plants should not be uprooted or destroyed. As long as the days stay warm a few tomatoes will continue to form and ripen on the plants.
The plants begin to lose their bright green color and many of the leaves will wither and fall, but long after the bulk of the crop is in, there are still some bright red fruits to be found on them. These late gatherings are known as the gleanings.
It is the same in God’s harvest. There are three distinct times when the Lord brings forth believers FROM the dead and then gathers the saints unto Himself.
A. THE FIRSTFRUITS
After He rose from the dead, Jesus Christ appeared on earth, having not yet
ascended to His Father in heaven (John 20:16-18). Many of the Old Testament
saints came out of their graves to walk again upon the earth.
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many (Matthew 27:52-53).
Thus, there had been a resurrection, not only of Christ, THE firstfruits, but of
believers who had died in faith awaiting their coming Messiah.
When the Lord Jesus ascended He took with Him both the dead from paradise
and the saints who had come out of the graves to walk the streets of Jerusalem.
All those who had been held captive by him that had the power of death
(Hebrews 2:14) were delivered (Ephesians 4:8-10).
This transporting of paradise to the third heaven (Luke 23:43; Matthew 12:40;
2 Corinthians 12:1-4) was:
The spoiling (the word means to take one’s possessions as the result of conquest) of principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15)
The emptying of Abraham’s bosom
The aspect of the harvest known as the first fruits
B. THE HARVEST
The great ingathering known as the harvest occurs at the end of the church
age. At this time the dead in Christ shall rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), and
the living believers shall be caught up with them so that they shall never die (John 11:26).
Some shall be caught up from that which the Bible calls sleeping, and some shall be taken from their waking state on earth, but all will be changed in a moment of time (1 Corinthians 15:51-58).
C. THE GLEANINGS
In Revelation 7 we find 144,000 witnesses whom God miraculously protected from death. Yet in Revelation 14:1-3, we find them in heaven. We also read of the two witnesses being raised from the dead and ascending into heaven (Revelation 11:11-12).
This raising from the dead and catching away of tribulation saints prior to the
second advent is known as the gleanings.
While these matters will be dealt with in more detail under later headings, a careful study of these passages shows how men can easily wrest the scriptures to their own destruction.
For example: Is the rapture before or after the tribulation? Yes. Is the resurrection before or after the millennium? Yes. If we do not carefully notice the subtle distinctions in the word of God, we cannot hope to properly understand God’s prophetic program.
These three times when God takes dead and living saints to glory comprise the
first resurrection. How often in the Bible do we see evidence that three are one!