The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead.
By B. F. Snook
1. How does it take place, and in what does it consist? The Scriptures teach very clearly that it consists in restoring again to life that which dies. The man as such, dies, ceases to live; and as man he will be raised from the dead and made to live again. Isaiah says, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. xxvi, 19. Again: "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Cor. xv, 52; "And the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thess. iv, 16. From these plain and simple texts no other conclusion can be deduced, than that the resurrection will be literal and will consist in a resuscitation of the dead. Indeed this doctrine is so forcibly taught that an argument in its favor might seem unnecessary. But in this age of skepticism, this doctrine is boldly denied and denounced as absurd. Among this class of skeptics are the Universalists, Spiritualists, Quakers, and many Campbellites, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, &c. They urge that the resurrection is not to be literally understood, but that it is figurative; that it does not apply to the dead at all, for that which dies is gone, never to return again, and the resurrection of such is impossible. With them the resurrection of the widow's son, Luke vii, 11-15, of Lazarus, Jno. xi, 39-40, who had been dead four days, and of Christ and the multitude who arose after his resurrection and appeared to many, amount to naught. They are denied or denounced as fabulous. They say that death is not death; but a continuance of life under another form; that it is a birth into a higher life; that in death the immortal soul is raised out of the mortal body into a new spiritual body. This is their view of the resurrection. We will test this some further by comparing it with Paul's view of the same subject. To illustrate this point more fully, we will relate the substance of a conversation upon this subject which took place between the writer and an Universalist minister. He began by denouncing the literal resurrection as absurd, impossible, and contrary to reason. Stating also that the resurrection is progressive, and does not apply to the dead body at all; but to the living immortal soul, which is sown in corruption (this corrupt body) in dishonor, and in weakness; and in death is raised in the new, glorious, spiritual body of honor and power. To this we replied, 'You believe then that the immortal soul is that which is sown, and raised again?' To which he responded, 'Yes.' We then applied the Scriptures to his vain philosophy, as follows: "It is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory, it (the immortal soul) is sown in weakness it is raised in power, it (the immortal soul) is sown, WHAT! an immortal soul? No, but a NATURAL (ANIMAL) BODY, it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Cor. xv, 42-44. To this he said that 'he had not considered the matter so far, and ended the conversation.' Thus is disproved this offshoot of infidelity and vain philosophy. 2. When does it take place? Paul says, at the last trump. Verse 52. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." In this the resurrection and last trump are connected together. Now if we can learn when the last trump will sound, we will know when the righteous dead will come forth. This opposing view says that death is the last trump; but Paul says, that it will sound at the coming of the Lord: "For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thess. iv, 16. This to the man who believes God and trembles at his word, is all-sufficient. At the glorious appearing of our blessed Saviour, the last trump will sound, it will reverberate throughout all earth, from rising to declining sun, and from pole to pole. The saints will hear; and waking from their long sleep of undisturbed repose, will arise, immortal to meet their Lord and to be forever with him.