Acts 24:15, commentary and pictures

The hope was confessed in Paul's defense before Felix at Caesarea during his long imprisonment there, an imprisonment that did not soften the malignant hatred of the Jews nor shake their determination to take his life. After that imprisonment Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, a far more honorable ruler who refused bribes and endeavored to administer justice. Three days after arriving at Caesarea Festus went up to Jerusalem, where the high priest and the most honorable personages renewed the accusations against Paul and asked that he be sent to Jerusalem for trial by the Sanhedrim, concealing a deep-laid plot to murder him on the way, which Festus courteously declined while promising a fair hearing at Caesarea.

In that defense he declared that while worshiping the God of his fathers in the way his accusers called heresy, he had never swerved from believing all things written in the law and in the prophets. His faith in the resurrection of the dead was in harmony with and in conformity to the plain teaching of the Scriptures. He presented the resurrection hope as the ruling faith of his life, joined to his ruling purpose to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. That belief was the issue for which he was being called to account, for crying concerning the resurrection of the dead while standing before the council.

There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, bringing all people out of the grave. Its universal scope is because death came upon all through Adam, so all are brought forth from their graves through the plan of salvation, which does not mean both groups receive the same outcome. The just are raised to life, and their resurrection occurs at Christ's second advent. The unjust face judgment and, after punishment according to their works, the second death. That second death is the loss of life rather than endless conscious torment.

Moses was shown that resurrection of the just in vision along with Christ's first advent, His rejection by the Jewish nation, His death on the cross, and His second advent. Moses himself is an instance of it, for though his strength was firm and unabated and his eye not dimmed, he died upon the mount, angels buried him, and the Son of God soon came down and raised him from the dead and took him to Heaven. The hope in the resurrection of the just is that death is not the final parting, and those who die in hope of Christ will meet their loved ones again. The resurrection of the unjust will occur at a future time to which Satan looks forward with all his powers and his being. When the unjust come forth, he will rally his army around them, hoping then at last to gain the victory over the world.