The Resurrection

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, … when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”—John 5:25

These words of Jesus provide the promise to mankind of being raised from the sleep of death. A few verses later, he further confirms, “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth.” (vss. 28,29) The promise that “all that are in the graves” will be raised from the dead is based on the fact that Jesus died a “ransom for all.” (1 Tim. 2:5,6) Having paid the penalty for sin, he provided redemption for Adam and his race, the entire human family. As the Scriptures plainly state, all in Adam have died, and so all in Christ will be made alive.—1 Cor. 15:21,22

The “making alive” of mankind is described in the New Testament by the word “Resurrection.” It is a translation of the Greek word anastasis, and signifies “a standing up again,” and by implication, “a moral recovery.” Thus, the resurrection is more than merely an awakening from the sleep of death. It is the entire process of mankind being brought back into heart harmony with God, and into full fellowship with him as earthly sons.

Christ’s thousand-year kingdom is the period in God’s plan for the accomplishment of the resurrection work. Satan, man’s great Adversary, will be bound, and unable to deceive the people any longer. (Rev. 20:1,2,6) Man will first be raised from the grave, and will be given new bodies which are physically and mentally whole. His character, however, will still retain many of the vestiges of sin which plagued him in this life. Thus, the people will be educated in the knowledge of God—his laws and his character attributes. (Jer. 31:34) This education process, along with each individual’s application of its lessons, will enable man to be freed from the remaining effects of sin.

Then, the great resurrection work will be complete, and man will be recovered to God’s favor. “They shall be his people, and God himself shall … be their God.”—Rev. 21:3

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