The Reality and Order of the Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:20-34

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

24 Then comes 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.

25 For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet.

26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

27 For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

28 And when all things shall be subdued to him, then shall the Son also himself be subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily.

32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantages it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yes, 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.

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins.

18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

50 Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

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.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:35-49

35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

36 You fool, that which you sow is not quickened, except it die:

37 And that which you sow, you sow not that body that shall be, but bore grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

38 But God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

46 However, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 Moreover, brothers, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand;

2 By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached to you, unless you have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brothers at once; of whom the greater part remain to this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.

Yes, the resurrection of Christ was a physical, historical event that serves as the foundation of the gospel and the absolute guarantee of our future life. Without this literal restoration of the body, our faith would be useless and all hope for eternal life would perish.

The Historical Fact of the Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

The gospel is built on the historical reality that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. This was not a spiritual rising at the moment of death, but a physical return to life three days after His crucifixionSITI June 16, 1887, page 358.2+1. Jesus proved His resurrection was literal by appearing to Cephas, the twelve, and over five hundred believers at once, many of whom were still alive to testify of what they saw 1 Corinthians 15:5-7. He even showed His disciples His wounded hands and feet, inviting them to handle Him to see that He was not a spirit but had flesh and bones Luke 24:39PTUK September 27, 1894, page 613.10.

The Consequences if Christ Had Not Risen 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

If Christ did not rise from the dead, then our preaching is a lie and your faith is entirely vain 1 Corinthians 15:14BQACM 13.2. Without a literal resurrection, we would remain in our sins with no hope of justification 1 Corinthians 15:17BEST August 1, 1893, par. 4. Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ would be forever perished, as there is no consciousness or reward for the dead without a resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:18ARSH February 23, 1864, page 100.18+1. If our hope in Christ were limited only to this life, we would be the most miserable of all people 1 Corinthians 15:19BEST July 15, 1893, par. 5.

The Guarantee and Order of the Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:20-34

Christ has risen as the first-fruits, serving as the sample and guarantee that all who sleep in Him will also be raised 1 Corinthians 15:20ARSH January 30, 1900, page 72.3+1. Just as death came through one man, Adam, the resurrection of the dead comes through one Man, Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 15:21-22BEST July 15, 1893, par. 5. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life today is the surety that God will quicken their mortal body at the last day Romans 8:11EVCO 119.1+1. Because the dead are unconscious and "perished" without this event, Paul argued that it would be better to "eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" if the dead do not rise 1 Corinthians 15:32ARSH October 3, 1854, page 58.7.

The Nature of the Resurrected Body 1 Corinthians 15:35-49

The resurrection is not the rising of a soul from a body, but the reorganization of the person from the dust of the groundMND 314.1+1. Just as a seed is sown to bring forth new life, the human body is sown in corruption but raised in incorruption 1 Corinthians 15:42Ed 110.4. It is sown a natural body and raised a spiritual body, meaning it is a literal body made alive and immortal by the power of the Spirit 1 Corinthians 15:44HHMLD 231.1+1. While we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall bear the image of the heavenly when our vile bodies are fashioned like unto Christ’s glorious body Philippians 3:21HST May 1, 1844, page 99.12+1.

The Timing of the Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

The resurrection of the righteous does not happen at death, but at the second coming of ChristSBBS 11.6+2. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; therefore, we must be changed at the last trump 1 Corinthians 15:50-52ARSH December 12, 1865, page 9.12. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead shall be raised incorruptible and the living righteous shall be changed 1 Corinthians 15:52SITI June 16, 1887, page 358.5. This is the "first resurrection," which takes place when the Lord descends from heaven with a shout and the trump of God 1 Thessalonians 4:16FP1872 12.4+1. Only then is death swallowed up in victory and the mortal puts on immortality 1 Corinthians 15:54ARSH December 12, 1865, page 9.12+1.

Revelation 20:4-9

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 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.

9 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.

Revelation 20:4-9 describes the millennium, a literal thousand-year period that begins with the resurrection of the righteous and concludes with the final destruction of the wickedEVRR690+2. This timeline separates the two resurrections by exactly one thousand years, during which the saints reign with Christ in heaven while the earth remains desolateBIAD 22.1+2.

The First Resurrection and the Start of the Millennium ☀️

• The millennium opens with the second advent of Jesus Christ, at which time the righteous dead are raised incorruptible 1 Corinthians 15:52BIAD 22.1+1.

• This "first resurrection" consists of those who were martyred for their testimony, those who did not worship the beast, and all the "blessed and holy" who have submitted to Christ's rule Revelation 20:4-6LJL 15.1+1.

• The living righteous are changed to immortality at this same moment and are caught up to meet the Lord in the air to begin their thousand-year reign 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17ARSH April 18, 1854, page 98.1+1.

• During this period, the "rest of the dead"—the wicked—remain in their graves, having been destroyed by the brightness of Christ's comingLJL 15.1+2.

• Satan is bound in the "bottomless pit," which represents the broken and uninhabited state of the earth during this time, preventing him from deceiving any nations until the years are fulfilled Revelation 20:1-3SITI March 31, 1887, page 198.4+1.

The Events at the Close of the Thousand Years ⚖️

• When the thousand years expire, the second resurrection occurs, bringing the wicked dead back to life to receive their final retribution John 5:28-29EVRR690+1.

• At this time, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descends from God out of heaven and settles upon the Mount of Olives Zechariah 14:4-5SSP 334.2+1.

• Satan is "loosed out of his prison" because the resurrection of the wicked provides him with a vast multitude that he can once again attempt to deceiveAPEC 35.1+2.

• The wicked of all ages, including giants from before the flood and famous historical figures like Thomas Paine and Balaam, come forth with the same rebellious spirit they possessed in lifeEGWSRGES 39.7+3.

The Final Conflict: Gog and Magog ⚔️

• Satan gathers these resurrected hosts, termed "Gog and Magog," whose number is as the sand of the sea, to make a final assault on the kingdom of GodSITI March 31, 1887, page 198.4+2.

• He deceives them into believing they can conquer the Holy City, leading them to march across the breadth of the earth to surround the camp of the saintsARSH February 6, 1900, page 89.2+2.

• There is no actual battle, however, because as they prepare to attack, they are summoned before the great white throne to face the final judgment Revelation 20:11-12MWV2 29.1+1.

• Every knee is forced to bow, and even Satan must acknowledge the justice of God's authority before the execution of the sentenceSSP 334.2+1.

The Second Death and Purification 🔥

• Final execution occurs when "fire from God out of heaven" descends and devours the entire host of the wickedLJL 16.2+2.

• This fire constitutes the "lake of fire," which purifies the earth of all traces of sin, leaving neither "root nor branch"—Satan being the root and his followers the branches Malachi 4:1TMR 124.4+1.

• This "second death" results in the total annihilation of conscious existence for the wicked; they become as though they had never been Obadiah 1:16DAR1909 429.1+1.

• Once the fire has cleansed the globe, the earth is renewed into a perfect state, becoming the eternal inheritance where the righteous will dwell foreverARSH April 18, 1854, page 98.1+2.

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