Tag: resurrection of the dead

DISSENSION TO THE ESTABLISHED ORDER [4/20/21]

“Korah …. and certain Reubenites – Dathan and Abiram …. and On ……. — became insolent and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders ……They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far!…… Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”” <Num.16:1-3 (NIV)>

Korah was a descendant of Levi; the Kohathites had been given specific duties serving the Lord in the Tabernacle <Num.4:1-20>; they were to look after “the most holy things” – the ark of the testimony; the table of the Presence and all the related utensils; the lampstand and lamps; all the articles used in the sanctuary; and all the utensils used at the altar. They were not allowed to touch any of these items, since only the priests were permitted to touch and look at the unveiled holy things, they were to wrap each in a covering of specific fabric under the strict supervision of Aaron and his sons (NIV Study Bible). Whenever the people were instructed to move from one encampment to another by the cloud, the Kohathites were to carry these items. Aaron and his sons were to go into the sanctuary and assign each man the items that he was to carry; “But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.” <Num.4:20 (NIV)>. Such were the instructions given by God to Moses.

The Reubenites were descendants of Reuben; Jacob in his blessings of his twelve sons referred to Reuben as “Turbulent as the waters” and he and his descendants were characterized by indecision <Jud.5:15-16>. Because of Reuben’s sin against his father, he and his descendants would no longer excel <Gen.49:1-4>. On was also a member of the Reubenite clan.

Korah, certain Reubenites – Dathan and Abiram, including On, and 250 well known community leaders became disrespectful and came to Moses accusing him of appointing Aaron as High Priest of the people in spite of the fact that all the people were holy, “Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”

This attack frustrated Moses to the point that he could do nothing more than to fall on his face to the ground, saying to Korah and his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him.” <Num.16:5 (NIV)>. The message was that God would identify the person that He had chosen as high priest, and those that were not selected by God would fall under God’s judgment. The intent of this group opposition was an attempt to take over the priesthood that God had instituted: “Now listen, you Levites! Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together.” <Num.16:8-11 (NIV)>. Here we see that the hostility was not against Moses and Aaron, but against God, and such hostility would be judged by God!

Their argument was that all the people were holy, but were they correct? Here again they had learned nothing from the institution of the priesthood and the Commandments that God had given them. Aaron was instructed as to how he should enter the sanctuary, he was not to do so whenever he chooses to; first he must bathe himself and then put on the sacred linen tunic (priestly garments), then take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, and offer a bull for a sin offering for himself and his household <see Lev.16:1-6>; the goats and the ram would later be offered for the cleansing of the people. Neither were the people holy, for that was the whole purpose of Aaron entering the sanctuary as outlined in the rest of Leviticus 16. Today we are made holy by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was the fulfilment of the atonement sacrifice that was given under the old covenant <see 1 Jn.2:1-2>.

Korah then gathers his followers and moved toward the entrance to the Tabernacle and God’s glory appears to the entire assembly of people, God instructs Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the people so that He could put an end to them; but Moses and Aaron intervene, “O God, God of the spirits of all mankind, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?” <Num.16:22 (NIV)>, and in this we see the grace of God expressed when He instructs the people through Moses to move away from the tents of Korah and his followers; for now, His judgment is about to fall on the hostile group. “Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.”” <Num.16:28-30 (NIV)>; this would be the judgment on Dathan and Abiram; then a fire from God consumed the 250 community leaders. Eleazar the priest was instructed to collect all the censers of the community leaders, hammer them out and use them to overlay the altar; “This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.” <Num.16:40 (NIV); cf 3:10>. Moses instructs Aaron to burn incense to make an atonement for the people for the wrath of God was about to fall, and it is recorded that Aaron “stood between the living and the dead” <Num.16:48 (NIV)> and the plague stopped.

 God now identifies the man He chooses to occupy the office of high priest, and instructs Moses to place a staff belonging to the head of each ancestral tribe, together with Aarons staff in front of the Ark in the Tent of Meeting and “The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout” <Num.17:5 (NIV)>. Having marked each staff with the owner’s name as well as Aaron’s staff; Moses entered the Tent of Meeting the next morning and discovered that “Aaron’s staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.” <Num.17:8 (NIV)>, this speaks of Christ’s resurrection and the eternal life that He offers us <see 1 Cor.15:20, 22>; and Christ now stands between eternal death and eternal life for all mankind through His death and resurrection. God then instructs Moses to place Aaron’s staff in front of the Ark as a sign to the rebellious people. Aaron was God’s choice for the High Priest, and that office would forever be held by the leader of the tribe of Levi <see Heb.9:2-4>; until the New Covenant is established, where we see that Christ has been made our eternal High Priest <see Heb.7:11, 18-22, 24-25>.

The lesson for us today is that under the New Covenant, just as it was under the Old Covenant, God has established an order in the Church, Christ our High Priest is appointed by God <Heb.5:4-6>, and He mediates for us before His Father in heaven <Heb.7:25; 9:24>. In similarity to the Levites who performed priestly duties, God has set up Elders and Deacons (under modern terminology theses names have been changed but the office is still the same). Elders being responsible for the preaching and teaching of the doctrines of scripture and the Deacons responsible for the material functions of the church <see Acts 6:2-4>, and Paul further gave the requirements of the offices in his Pastoral Letters to Timothy and Titus. Although Elders and Deacons may be appointed by members of the church it must be understood that the appointments are certified by God, and God is able to overrule such appointments in His way and in His time. The incident recorded of Korah and his followers is a warning to us today that we should never, singularly or in a group, form an uprising against the leadership that has been appointed in the church, for as it was under Moses, God will severely punish today those who oppose Him. Our opposition against the church leadership is an antagonism against Christ our High priest. God is able to remove from office those that have been appointed by the will of mankind as opposed to God’s will, so we need to wait on God to act, even though God’s timing may seem too long for our liking.

RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT [6/21/20]

TWO RESURRECTIONS

One of the basics of Christianity taught in the Word of God – The Bible; is the fact that there will be a resurrection of all the dead. That was confirmed by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ:

“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”  <1 Cor 15:12-19 NIV >

However, as we study this subject it is important to understand that not all the dead are raised at the same time, since we find that there has already been a partial resurrection of believers: “The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” <Matt.27:52-53 NIV>. Two other resurrections are still in the future and will be different in respect to who will be raised, and when. These are referred to in the scriptures as “those that will be raised to life everlasting”; and “those that will be raised to condemnation” <see Jn.5:28-29; Dan.12:2>.

In Luke 14:14 our Lord speaks of the “resurrection of the righteous” which is a reference to the first resurrection only <cf 1 Cor.15:22-23; 1 Thess.4:13-16>. Paul in his letter to the Philippians writes: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection …… becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” <Phil.3:10-11 NIV>; and his reference to “the resurrection from the dead” does not imply that all the dead are raised simultaneously for he does not say the “resurrection of the dead”, indicating that some of the dead will remain in that state.

“…. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” <Rev.20:4-6 NIV>; in this passage we see the first resurrection of the righteous and the outcome it will have on those that attain to this event: they will reign with Christ and will not be overcome by the second death.

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” <Rev.20:11-15 NIV>; this passage describes the second resurrection of “those that will be raised to condemnation” and note here that the condemnation will be “the second death” which takes place when such are “thrown into the lake of fire.” An examination of the details of these two resurrections will also indicate the time between the two events which is 1000 years.

In conclusion, it is clear that the “dead in Christ” or believers in Christ who die before Christ’s coming in the air will be raised from the dead and will be caught up to meet Him in the air one thousand years before “those that will be raised to condemnation” <see 1 Thess.4:16-17>; and that the doctrine of the resurrection concerns only the bodies of the dead, no matter what the state of decay may be, they will be raised either to glory or anguish <cf Lk.16:22-24; 2 Cor.5:8; Phil.1:23>.

THE FIVE JUDGMENTS

In the study of this subject one must be careful of the term “general judgment” that is used by some writers; this term is not scriptural and neither is the theory conceived in the scriptures. The event of Rev.20:11-14 should not be considered as one great event that takes place at the end of the age comprising all people of the earth – saints and sinners. The scriptures speak of five judgments that differ in four respects: the individuals; the location; the time; the consequence.

  1.  The Believer in Christ: these have had their sins judged at the Cross of Christ when He paid the penalty of sin (AD 30) <see Jn.19:17-18; 1 Pet.2:24; 3:18; Gal.3:13; 2 Cor.5:21; Heb.1:3; 9:26; Rom.8:1; Jn5:24>.
  1. The Judgment of Sin in the Believer: this can take place at any time and in any place, and results in discipline by our Lord if the believer fails to assess himself/herself <see 1 Cor.11:31-32; Heb.12:7; 1 Pet.4:17; (cf. 1 Cor.5:5; 2 Sam.7:14-15; 12:13-14; 1 Tim.1:20)>.
  1. The Conduct (deeds) of the Believer: this will take place at the coming of Christ in the air, resulting in a reward or loss to the believer, but whatever the result, the believer will be saved. Every action, thought and word of the believer will be reviewed by our Lord <see 2 Cor.5:8-10; Rom.14:10-12; 1 Cor.3:11-15>. The time of this judgment is also given <see Matt16:27; Lk.14:14; 1 Cor.4:5; 2 Tim.4:8>; and the place is also given <see 1 Thess.4:17>.
  1. The Judgment of the Nations: this will occur at the second advent of Christ in the “Valley of Jehoshaphat” (a symbolic name for a valley near Jerusalem – NIV Study Bible). The result will be that some are saved and some will be lost, the basis being the treatment of these nations to the remnant of Israel “brothers of mine” <see Matt.13:40-41; 25:40-46; Joel 3:1-2, 12-14>. The judgment of the nations should not be confused with the Great White Throne Judgment <Rev.20:11> compare the following distinctions:

NATIONS: No resurrection; nations judged; on earth; no Record Books. Three groups: sheep; goats; “brothers of mine”. Time: when Christ appears.

GREAT WHITE THRONE: Resurrection; Judgment of “the dead”; earth and sky have “fled from his presence”; Record Books opened. One group: “the dead”. Time: after Christ has reigned 1000 years. [source: “Rightly Dividing The Word Of Truth”; Emmaus Bible School]. Since the believers (saints) are partnered with Christ in this judgment they cannot be the subjects <1 Cor.6:2; cf. Dan.7:22; Jude 14-15>.

  1. The Judgment of the Wicked Dead: will be on a set day after the Millennium, and will take place before the Great White Throne; the result being “eternal damnation” <see Acts 17:31; Rev.20:5, 7, 11, 15>. The scriptures also refer to a judgment of angels <see 1 Cor.6:3; 2 Peter.2:4; Jude 6>.

The word “day” <see Acts 17:31; Rom.2:16> may be confusing to some, but it simply means a length of time or period of time <see 2 Pet.3:8; Jn.8:56>; and the word “hour” (“time”) <Jn.5:25> has now lasted over 2000 years.

The resurrection of the dead is certain; for as we have seen from the scriptures, our Lord Jesus Christ taught this to His disciples, and the apostles spoke of this in their documents to the Churches. It is also a promise to all believers in Christ <Jn.14:2-3> and a warning to unbelievers <Jn.14:5-6; 20:29, 31; 3:15>. As certain as the resurrection is, so also are the Judgments. The purpose of Christ’s first advent was to bring salvation to a world of sinners through His death on the cross, and all who reject Him and His offer of salvation will pay the penalty of such rejection, and there will be no exceptions <Jn.3:17; 5:24; 12:47-48; Rom.8:1; 9:28>.

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” <Heb.10:26-31 (NIV)>