2011-06-29

What will be the order of events in the resurrection?

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On the Last Day, in connection with the second coming of Christ, a general resurrection of all people will take place. First those who died in faith will be raised, and then those believers yet living will be glorified. There will not be a long period of time between the resurrection of the believers and unbelievers, or a thousand-year kingdom, as some believe.

Matt. 12:41: The men of Nineve shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and behold a greater than Jonas is here.

1 Cor. 15:51-52: Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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.

1 Thess. 4:16-17: 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; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Heb. 9:27: It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.


Assignment: Consider which of the above Bible passages refutes reincarnation.

Note: The belief in the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth (Chiliasm) is based on the literal interpretation of certain prophecies of the Old Testament and the book of Revelation. The Old Testament, using illustrations from temporal life, describes the time of the Messiah, His kingdom and its spread as a wonderful kingdom of peace. The New Testament shows us that these prophecies were fulfilled in Christ Jesus and His kingdom of grace, and refutes their literal interpretation with the words: “The kingdom of God comes not with observation”. (Luke 17:20). Compare, for example, Is. 9:1-6 and chapter 11, where the happy time of peace and the return of the remnant of Israel are connected to Christ’s birth and the ensuing proclamation of the Gospel. The prophecies of the book of Revelation are illustrative and they
are to be interpreted in the light of the clear passages of the Bible. The Confessions of the Christian Church do not recognize the teaching of Chiliasm, and teach according to the Bible that Christ will return visibly only once and at that time will conduct the Judgment. The Small Catechism: ”Will at the Last Day raise up me and all the dead.”



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