by Rhoda Foust (Williamsburg, Indiana)

During the time of Yeshua there was a heated controversy about the resurrections. It is no different today. Is there such an event as a resurrection from the dead? Who will be in the resurrection? How many resurrections are there? And when are the resurrections? These are just a few of the questions many have. We read in the scriptures of some very clear resurrections that took place, another called "the first" resurrection, and if there is a "first" it stands to reason there is one or more to follow, and another after a thousand years, which, by the way, is not called "the second". And what about the one in Rev. 20:12-13?

 

Mat. 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

27 And last of all the woman died also.

28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

 

Yeshua not only taught that there was a resurrection to eternal life, but he actually brought some that were dead back to physical life during his ministry. He called that kind of death "sleep". But he taught about another kind of resurrection, too.

 

Luke 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, (age) and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

 

Yeshua says one must be "accounted worthy" and that such a one would "obtain that world". So there is another "world" (According to Strong’s Conc. This word "world" can be translated "age") to look forward to if one is found worthy to be in this resurrection.

 

Luke 20:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

 

Then Yeshua tells about another resurrection, one to the "resurrection of damnation".

John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Matthew tells about a resurrection following Yeshua’s own resurrection.

Mt. 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

 

These were "saints" who were resurrected. Was this their resurrection into eternal life, or was this a resurrection to physical life? Yeshua is already resurrected as the first fruits. If they were resurrected to eternal life, would this not be their "first" resurrection as mentioned in Rev. 20: 5-6? Did these people receive eternal life at this time? On the other hand, if they were resurrected to physical life, then they eventually died a second time. If they kept the faith, still saints at the time of their second death, will they be in another resurrection, the one Yeshua refers to as "the first" resurrection? Rev.20:6

 

The bible records many resurrections that clearly are to physical life. The most remarkable and detailed resurrection is found in John 11.

 

Jo. 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

 

Yeshua said Lazarus was not, at this time, going to die. Yet he did die as we will see. Then what did he mean? He always thought and spoke on a higher spiritual level than those about him. He simply meant Lazarus had not died an eternal death, the second death spoken of in Rev. 21:8. Lazarus was in a temporary, "sleep" death.

 

Yet, he had been dead long enough to begin to "stink".

 

Jo 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again.

 

Yeshua deliberately waited two days before starting the trek to bring Lazarus back to life and didn’t arrive there for another two days. He wanted to build their faith.

 

11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

 

The disciples were talking about "death" but Yeshua was thinking "sleep". However, Yeshua shifted his thoughts down to their level, admitting Lazarus was "dead".

 

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

 

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

 

There are many other scriptures that show there were other resurrections from the "sleep" death. Elisha brought a child back to life (2 Kng.4:32). Women received their dead raised to life (Heb. 11:35).

 

Paul taught that Yeshua indeed was resurrected, and that there would be two different types of resurrections.

 

Ac 17:18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

Ac 17:32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

Ac 23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

Ac 23:8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

Ac 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Ac 24:21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

Ro 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Ro 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

1Co 15:12 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:

 

We have discovered there is a resurrection to a physical life, from the death that Yeshua referred to as "sleep". And there is the resurrection to eternal life, like Yeshua’s resurrection. There is a resurrection of the just and a resurrection of the unjust. First we will explore the subject of the "just" resurrection, called "the first" resurrection.

 

Rev. 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto 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 upon 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 hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

 

We know that there had been other resurrections, so because this one frees one from death it is "the first" of it’s kind. According to this particular scripture, given by Yeshua, the ones in "the first" resurrection have to meet certain criteria: They had been "beheaded" (martyred) for their belief and witness of Yeshua, and had not worshipped or taken the mark of the beast. These people are especially blessed because they will not experience the second death. They will receive eternal life. No other group of people have been referred to as having attained this level of spiritual achievement. According to this scripture no one else will be resurrected until aftera thousand years have passed. We see then that some resurrections have already taken place, and others are yet to take place. Somewill be subject to a second death. But no resurrections will happen until after the thousand years as stated in Rev. 20:5.

 

Heb.11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

 

Paul talks more about this "best" resurrection in 1Cor.15:50

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

51 Behold, I shew 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.

1Thes. 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 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:

17 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.

 

It appears that Paul thought that Yeshua was going to return in his life time, which we know never happened. Likewise, without scripture to support us, we can assume many things that are not going to occur, and we can place events in the wrong time slots, as well. We must keep in mind that the next resurrection does not occur for a thousand years after the "first-fruits" resurrection. There are two ways in Rev. 20 that tells us this: a) verse 5 and b) it is after Satan has been released, verse 1-3, and 7.

 

Rev.20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto 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 upon 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..

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

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.

To go to the next resurrection we will have to fast forward at least a thousand years.

 

Eze. 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

 

From these scriptures we see these people had been dead a very long time.

3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

 

This is a resurrection to physical life. It has often been referred to as "the second resurrection" but it is not called that in the bible. It is simply called the resurrection of the "whole house of Israel".

 

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

 

Yahweh identifies these people as "the whole house of Israel". Notice he did not say this is all the people that has ever lived and died. He did not say these are the whole house of Judah, or Jews, nor did he say these are Israelites and Gentiles. He says these are the "whole house of Israel" (descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel).

 

12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

 

Yahweh does not say he will lead them out of foreign countries, or that they were in a state of returning to their land. No, he said after he causes them to come out of their graves, then he would "bring them into their land".

 

13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

 

There are a lot of things that happen between verse thirteen and verse fourteen. For lack of space Eze. 38 and 39 will not be inserted here, but the reader should read these two chapters to fill in the events that take place here. Rev. 20:7-8 is the key to Ezekiel’s prophecy as it refers to the same nations and the same events in the same time period.

 

 

Rev.20:7 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:

 

Again this is the end result of Gog, but much happens before Yahweh destroys five out of six of them as stated in Eze. 39:1-6

 

1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:

3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.

4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

 

The rest of chapter 39 describes the fate of Gog and his allies.

 

Rev. 20:9 .. ..and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

 

Then, after Yahweh rescues Israel and brings them back from the Gentile nations where Gog and his allies have taken them captive, he reunites the house of Israel (descendants of the other nations of Israel) and the house of Judah, as described in Eze. 37:16-22. Then he makes this promise to Israel.

 

Eze.37:14 And (I) shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.

21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children,

 

It is clear, from these scriptures, that these events occur after the thousand years, and not at the beginning. During this resurrection there is no mention of these people "reigning" or having "eternal life". They are referred to as having "children". Yahweh is not a God of confusion so it makes sense that he would resurrect each of the twelve tribes of Israel in their order, placing each tribe in their allotted location. This may take many years before all twelve tribes have been resurrected and settled in their portioned land. As we have already seen, there is no set time schedule for the resurrections of those who are "asleep". If this is the case, there could very well be at least twelve resurrections occurring during this time. These Israelite nations become one "house of Israel" or one huge nation and continue to reproduce. They will live their allotted time and then die (sleep) again, awaiting a time of judgment, when they will be resurrected, (woke again) to either "damnation" or "eternal life". This then will be a second resurrection to eternal life.

 

Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And soall Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Whether Paul understood this or not, he was talking about the fullness of the Gentiles that is to take place during the thousand years of Yeshua’s rule on earth. He also is speaking of after the resurrection of the whole house of Israel spoken of in Eze. 37:, and the taking away of their sins after he brings them back into their land again.

 

Eze 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

 

We are not told how many physical awakenings Yahweh chooses for mankind. However, Yahweh makes it plain that this is his business, not ours.

 

De. 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.

41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.

42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.

43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

1Sam 2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

 

Who are we to limit Yahweh, to decide for him how many times he can or cannot awake whomever he chooses, and as often as he chooses? We are told a little about some resurrections, but we are not told everything. We are told that David is still asleep, and has seen corruption. (Act 13:36). We are told about a large group of people who were resurrected to physical life, some to eternal life, and some who are thrown into the lake of fire. We are told many are sleeping in the dust, just waiting to be awakened.

 

Dan. 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:

 

Daniel writes about the great tribulation, then he jumps through time and writes about a deliverance of Yahweh’s people whose names are written in the book of life. Then he writes about a resurrection into a "better" resurrection. He also writes about another type of resurrection of those who will be resurrected to everlasting contempt. Do we know they are all necessarily in the same resurrection, or even all of any one group resurrected at the same time? Then Daniel jumps through time again, to a future description of what the righteous will appear as.

 

and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

 

Daniel says these events are "yet appointed". Are not the resurrections also appointed? Those in the first resurrection will never die again or go to sleep permanently. Those in other resurrections can die, go back to sleep as many times as Yahweh sees fit, until he decides to give them eternal life in another resurrection to life. When we sleep our spirit "knows nothing", but it does go back to Yahweh and stays asleep until Yahweh awakens it. After all, it is his spirit, not ours. Yeshua commanded his spirit back to the Father when he died. When he resurrected his spirit was given back to him into a different kind of body. He was the first to be resurrected in "the" first resurrection to eternal life, making him the "first-fruit" of many brethren. However, those in Rev. 6; during the fifth seal are told they have to wait for a certain event before their deaths are avenged.

 

Rev. 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

 

We are not told if the group in verses 9-11 are from the tribes of Israel or if they are from many nations as the next group is. John tells us that he saw, again, in his visions, a great multitude that serves The Father and The Lamb before their throne. We assume this great multitude has been resurrected to eternal life, but we are not told that specifically; we are told that they are "from all nations".

 

Rev. 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

 

John also tells of seeing one hundred and forty-four thousand of the twelve tribes of Israel in Rev. 7:1-8 and Rev. 14:1-5. These are also "first-fruits" who have been "sealed". They come out of the literal tribes of Israel. They are said to be "virgins" who are without fault before the throne of God. They follow Yeshua everywhere he goes. We assume they were in the "first" resurrection, but as we stated, there is more than one of this type of resurrection to eternal life. If there is a "first" there has to be another, and perhaps more.

 

1Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits 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 firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

 

We come now to a new age. We saw that the resurrected Israel profaned Yahweh’s name, how he allowed Satan to lead Gog and his allies against them and take them into captivity, then Yahweh destroys Israel’s enemies, and brings them back into their land once again. We read Yahweh’s promise to "cleanse" them and give them his holy spirit. At this point the reader should stop reading here and pick up in Eze.40 and read the last eight chapters to fill in the gap between 1Cor. 15:23 and verse 24.

 

1Cor 15:24 Then cometh 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.

Rev.20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

 

Here we see possibly another resurrection, perhaps even several. At any rate, this is a resurrection of "judgment". The bible says "judgment" began with the house of God. So we can assume this is a final judgment at the end of an age. In another study it is proved there are several ages from Adam to Rev. 22.

 

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev.21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Rev.21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Is 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

 

There will no longer be infant deaths. Children will be healthy and will live to be a hundred years old. If a person lives to be a hundred as a sinner, he will be accursed, or thrown into the lake of fire. This shows there will still be sinners who will not be given eternal life. Are there not those who keep the commandments, who are allowed into the city gates, to eat of the tree of life, who live to be a hundred years old, who will receive eternal life?

 

21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

 

Isaiah looks into the same future that John wrote about in Rev. 21 and 22 when Yahweh makes all things new. We will notice that Israel is still physical, they are still having children, and they are still dying. And as they die there will be more resurrections to eternal life. Yahweh and Yeshua are dwelling in their midst, in that New City.

 

Rev. 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 

This is not to be confused with the temple that Yahweh gives Ezekiel the blueprints for Israel to build in the last chapters of Eze. That was in a different age.

 

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and thekings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

 

We see that even after the New City comes down out of heaven and Yahweh and Yeshua dwell in it, there are many Gentile nations still populating and being "saved".

 

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

 

It seems here that life depends on whether one keeps the commandments of Yahweh. Otherwise those nations "without", outside the city will not have access to the tree of life.

 

15 Forwithout are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.

 

In conclusion: There is no way for us to determine from the limited scripture that we have access to, and the way we "see as through a dark window" as Paul stated, can we know how many resurrections Yahweh has planned for the ages of mankind. We have mention of several to physical life, a "first" to spiritual life (how many more?), and one (or more) to damnation. We also see nations still living and dying even after the New City comes down out of heaven. How many resurrections? Does anyone know?