An challenging look at understanding Prophecy
RESURRECTION
DANIEL
Dan 12:1 "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
-the interesting point about these verses is that the previous verse merely meantion the great time of trouble. which is a specific event in the future. Does this time of trouble mean the plagues, or the trumpets, seals, and such.
REVELATION 1
Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
-this verse is very helpful in determing exactly who will be resurrected. The `some to everlasting contempt` meantioned in Daniel are descibed in Revelation as `they who pierced Him.`
GOSPELS
Mat 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
-all the gospels descibe the same events when referring to the return of Jesus. Some interesting points here are the `great sound of a trumpet.` Is this the 7th trumpet of revelation which is preceeded by a great earthquake. The other point is the `tribulation of those days.` just like the Daniel 12 meantions.
THESSALONIANS
1Th 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
-This is the last and final verse on the resurrection. In other words, this is all we have to go on. yes there are some related parables like the wheats and the tears, but these don`t offer anymore clarity on the topic.
REVELATION
Now, take note of 2 passages in Revelation which actually support that the saints are resurrected before the last plagues...
Rev 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
2. And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
3. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
4. Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested."
5. After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
6. And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.
-Here we see something very interesting. The 7 last plagues are about to be poured out and people who have victory over the beast are up in heaven. Whether this is all the saved, or just those martyred in the last days, as they are described as having victory over things which occur only at one point in earth`s history, I don`t know. However the common beliefs that this verse is unsequencial, as in a random glimpse into the future, or that they are the lucky pre-trib rapture gang, is unlikely. Notice that they had `victory`over the beast, mark, etc. Combine this with the 5th seal and it is obvious that victory means `lose their life for my sake.`
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
8. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9. Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
11. Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,
18. that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."
19. And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
20. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
-These verses raise many points. The armies in heaven are described exactly as the saints are described, Jesus is treading the winepress now instead of an angel, and we have a repeat description of the battle of armagaedon, as the lost are facing off against God and us, the saints, who had previously laid down our lives and been slain them.
Revelation Main Page
The 7 Trumpets herald the beginning of the last days. Some claim they are symbolic while some argue literal.
The 7 Seals of Revelation parallel the gospel prophecies of Matthew Mark and Luke.
The 7 head 10 horned beast rises to power and rules the whole world militarily and spiritually, and makes war with the saints.
The 2nd beast of Revelation exists at the same time as the 1st. some believe its the antichrist while other say it is America.
The 144,000 described in Revelation have a very inspiring message for those who live through the time of the end.
Jerusalem, the highly debated city. Some say it will be the center of end time events, while others claim its merely symbolic.
The Abomination of Desolation is mentioned as happening in the early days of the new testament. Some verses point to end times.
The 2 Witnesses of Revelation. Not everything about them is revealed, but many clues are evident.
The Close of Judgment which precedes the 7 last plagues is clearly described in 2 different chapters of revelation.
Special Resurrection. Jesus returns to resurrect the saved and some of the lost.
The spirit of prophesy.