SCRIPTURE: "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment" (Hebrews 6:1-2).

I. Resurrection Of The Dead

A.  There are two resurrections:

1. "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"  (Daniel 12:2).

2. "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice.    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"  (John 5:28-29).

3. "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  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"  (Revelation 20:5-6).

B. Resurrections In Christ:

Read I Corinthians 15:1-58, (Specifically, verses 20,23,24).

1. Christ became the first fruits.  "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept"  (I Corinthians 15:20).

Note: There had been other temporary resurrections:

a. The woman's son by Elisha.  (II Kings 4:18-55, Hebrews 11:15).
b. A man thrown in Elisha's grave.  (II Kings 13:21).
c. Lazarus by Jesus. (John 11:24).

However, each would have died again in due time, BUT Christ became the firstfruit.  (raised one for all).

2. Order or rank explained:  "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end ...."  (I Corinthians 15:23-24a).

a. Christ is the firstfruit of the firstfruits.

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay"  (Matthew 28:6).

b. The firstfruits.

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many"  (Matthew 27:51-53).

c. Those at the coming of Christ.

"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"  (I Thessalonians 4:16).

d. Then the end (saints at the end of the tribulation who died during the great tribulation.  This is the gleaning of the harvest at the second coming of Christ proper.

(1) "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"  (Revelation 7:14).

(2) "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.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  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"  (Revelation 20:4-6).

C. The Resurrection of Jesus.

1. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up"  (John 2:19).

2. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again"  (John 10:17).

3. "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay"  (Matthew 28:6).

4. "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time"  (I Corinthians 15:3-8).

5. "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins"  (I Corinthians 15:17).

6. "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification"  (Romans 4:25)

7. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us"  (Romans 8:34).

D. New Testament Resurrections Preached.

1. What is it like?

"Behold, I shew 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"  (I Corinthians 15:51-57).

2 Jesus declares himself to be the resurrection and the life.

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"  (John 11:25-26).

3. The Resurrection is Preached in: Acts 1:22, 2:31, 4:2, 33, 17:18, Romans 1:4, 6:5, Philippians 3:10-11, II Timothy 2:18, I Peter 1:3, 3:21-22, and I Corinthians chapter 15.

(Note: The major events are listed in order, while the lesser events may vary from the order listed.
Are You Ready?

A. There is the rapture of the Church in which all living Saints are "caught up" in the air to meet Jesus.

1. "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.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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.  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.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words"  (I Thessalonians 4:18).

2. "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter"  (Revelation 4:1).  Note: Chapters one through three deal with the Church on the earth.  After the rapture of the Church, it is no longer seen on the earth, but in heaven.

B. There is a seven year period of tribulation on the earth. = (divided into 1/2, with the last half is the period known at the great tribulation.

1. There are ten nations (or the earth divided under ten leaders) that come to power.  Daniel 7:7, 20, Revelation 13:1ff, Revelation 17:12.
2. There is a major war near the beginning (Russia and her allies come against Israel).  Ezekiel chapters 38-39.
3. There is a peace treaty between Israel and the antichrist.  Daniel 9:27, I Thessalonians 5:1-3.
4. The Holy Spirit in the Church is removed. II Thessalonians 2:7. (This does not mean the Holy Spirit as a person is removed.)
5. Satan is given full power to deceive the earth.  II Thessalonians 2:8-12.
6. There will be black market operations.  Revelation 6:5-6 (It will take a day's wages go to buy a loaf of bread).
7. The sun shine for only 1/3 a day.  Revelation 8:12. One third of the water is poisoned. Revelation 8:12.
8. There will be 144,000 male, Jewish virgins who become witnesses. Revelation 7:3-8, 14:1-5.
9. In the middle of the tribulation (3 1/2 years) the antichrist goes into the temple and declares himself to be God and demands worship.  II Thessalonians 2:4, Revelation 13:15, Matthew 24:15.
10. The last half of the tribulation period is called the "great tribulation."   Matthew 24:21.
11. People will have to take the mark of the beast. Revelation 13:15-18, 14:9, 16:1-2.
12. Tribulation Believers will be caught and beheaded. Revelation 6:11, 20:4.
13. Giant insects bite the people and the pain lasts for 5 months. Revelation 9:5-10.
14. The sun gets seven times as bright and then goes out. Isaiah 30:26, Revelation 16:9, Joel 2:31, Revelation 6:12.
15. There is a great earthquake = (earth reels like a drunkard).  Isaiah 24:20) Revelation 6:12, Revelation 16:18-20.
16. The Jewish people prepare for the coming of the Messiah.  Romans 11:25-26.

C. There is Battle of Armageddon where all the nations come against Israel.  Revelation. 16:13-16.

D. There is "Second Coming" proper.  Matthew 24:27, 30-31, Revelation 19:11-16, II  Thessalonians 2:8, Zechariah 14:1-5.

E. There is the thousand year Reign of Jesus upon the earth, called the millennium reign.  Zechariah 14:9-21, Revelation 20:1-3.

F. The Great White Throne Judgment for those who are spiritually dead.  Revelation 20:10-15.

G. The New Heaven, New Earth, and the city of New Jerusalem which is about a 1,500 mile cube. Revelation 21:1-22:21.

A. Eternity for the Believer.

1. The Believer has already passed from death into life.  "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life"  (John 5:24).

2. Eternal life is already in the possession of the Believer.  "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (I John 5:12-13).  The Believer not only has eternal life, but he can also KNOW that he has it.

3. Eternal life is a "gift" and not something earned or deserved.  "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand"  (John 10:28).  Furthermore, nothing can take the Believer out of God's hands.

4. Jesus said before he was crucified and resurrected, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also"  (John 14:1-3).

5. The New Heaven is the home for the Believers.  "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"  (Revelation 21:1).   "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away"  (Revelation 21:4).

B. Eternity for the unbeliever.

1. The Great White Throne Judgment.  "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. 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.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire"  (Revelation 20:12-15).

a. These are those who are spiritually dead. (Those who did not accept Jesus as Lord).
b. They are judged strictly according to their works.
c. They come from death and (Hades) hell.
d. Death and Hades are cast into the eternal lake of fire.

2. Jesus describes eternity for the unbeliever. "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched"  (Mark 9:43-:44).  The word "hell" is the word "Gehenna" which was the garbage dump outside the wall of Jerusalem.

3. It is where the devil and his angels are punished. "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels"  (Matthew 25:41). "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"  (Revelation 20:10).

C. Jesus is delaying his return that more people will come into the kingdom.

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"  (II Peter 3:9).

"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth"  (I Timothy 2:4).

D. Every Believer has a responsibility to warn the unbelievers.

"And of some have compassion, making a difference:  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh"  (Jude 1:22-23).

E. Believers can also pray and bind the strong man that people have an opportunity to be saved.

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them"  (II Corinthians 4:3-4).

"No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house"  (Mark 3:27).