The Second Resurrection
Even though Yeshua raised people physically from the dead, First Corinthians Fifteen speaks of a mass resurrection that is spiritual (not physical).
Qorintim Aleph (1st Cor.) 15:42-44
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.
43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
In fact, Scripture describes not just one mass spiritual resurrection, but two. Perhaps ironically, we need to discuss the Second Resurrection first (in this chapter), and then the first one (in the next chapter).
The second great mass spiritual resurrection is the ‘Great Catching Away’ (also called the ‘Post-Millennial Rapture’). As we will see here, this event takes place at the end (not the beginning) of the Millennium. Shaul describes this event in First Thessalonians 4:13-18.
1st Thessalonians 4:13-17
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 Yeshua died and rose again, even so Elohim will bring with Him those who sleep in Yeshua.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Master, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Master will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Master Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of Elohim. And the dead in Messiah will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Master in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Master.
Verse 16 tells us that when Yeshua descends from heaven “with the trumpet of Elohim,” we who are left alive will be caught up to meet Him in the air.
This same event is also described in 1st Corinthians 15:52 (below). Here Shaul tells us that Yeshua will return at the Last Trumpet (i.e., at the end of earth’s history). Please note that Shaul does not say Yeshua returns a thousand years before the Last Trumpet: rather, He returns at the Last Trumpet.
Qorintim Aleph (1st Cor) 15:50-54
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Elohim; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the (last) trumpet will sound, and the dead will 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 has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
The reason our bodies will be changed is that this is the time of the earth’s destruction; and then we all go to the Day of Judgment. This is also the same time frame spoken of in Revelation 20:7-11.
Gilyana (Revelation) 20:7-11
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison
8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from Elohim out of heaven and devoured them.
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
Notice this passage gives us the following sequence:
- First comes the thousand years;
- Then comes the War of Gog and Magog (at the end of the thousand years, verse 7);
- Then the War of Gog and Magog ends when Yeshua calls fire down out of heaven upon the armies of Satan (verse 9, explained below).
- The heavens and earth flee away from the One who sits on the great white throne (in the Day of Wrath/Day of Judgment, verse 11).
We know it will be Yeshua who will call down fire out of the heavens to destroy the armies of Satan, because it sounds exactly like what happened in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.
B’reisheet (Genesis) 19:24
24 Then YHWH rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from YHWH out of the heavens.
[For more details as to why this is Yeshua, please see the study, ‘Manifestation of Elohim.’]
Gilyana (Revelation) 20:9-11
9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from Elohim out of heaven and devoured them.
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
Zechariah 14:3-4
3 Then YHWH will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.
4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley. Half of the mountain shall move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Kepha Bet (2nd Peter) 3:10-13
10 But the Day of YHWH will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in set-apart conduct and set-apartness,
12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of Elohim, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
In Verse 10, Kepha tells us that when Yeshua returns, the heavens will pass away with a great noise, the elements will melt with a fervent heat, and both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. So the question we ought to ask ourselves is this: If the heavens will be dissolved in the Day of Yeshua’s return (being on fire, verse 12), then how can Yeshua return at the start of the Millennium? What would be left for Him to rule and reign over?
We also know that the Apostles equated Yeshua’s return with the time of the end of the world.
Mattai (Matthew) 24:3
3 And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, “Tell us, when shall these things be?” and, “what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world (end of everything)?”
The word ‘world’ here is often mistranslated as ‘age.’ However, the word in Hebrew would have been ‘olam’ (עֹלָם), which in this context would mean ‘everything.’ Therefore, the Apostles understood that Yeshua’s return would be at the end of the world as we know it.
Further, if we understand the Hebrew mindset, we can even see evidence for the Post-Millennial Rapture (or the post-millennial Great Catching Away) in the picture of the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony.
In the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony, a bridegroom ‘takes’ (or ‘engages’) his bride, and then he goes off to his father’s house, to prepare a place for them both to live. Notice that Yeshua also said He would do this.
Yochanan (John) 14:2-3
2 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.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
When the groom has prepared a house for his bride and the wedding supper is all perfectly prepared, the father then sends his son to bring his new bride home. Out of courtesy, the bridegroom usually sends his friend ahead of him, to alert the bride’s father that he will come and take his new bride about midnight.
The bridegroom then comes ‘as a thief in the night,’ but he blows the shofar to initiate a mock battle between himself and the bride’s father and brothers, who (of course) lose this mock battle to the groom. And so it is that after ‘vanquishing’ the bride’s family, the groom then spirits his bride back to his father’s house, where the wedding supper will be held the following evening.
Notice how beautifully all of this fits with the idea of a Post-Millennial Return: Yeshua returns as a thief in the night, with the sound of a great shofar. Then there is a (basically) staged battle between Yeshua and the bride’s father (i.e., Satan) and the bride’s father’s sons (i.e., the armies of Gog and Magog). Yeshua wins this mock battle, and takes His bride back home.
This also fits with the parable of the Ten Virgins, in which Yeshua takes all the virgins who have prepared themselves for His arrival, to go and be with Him.
Mattai (Matthew) 25:6-10
6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.”
Notice that in this parable, there is no thousand-year wait in between the coming of the bridegroom, and the wedding feast. Rather, the groom takes all those who are ready (while everyone else gets left behind).
Notice, then, that at least according to Pre-Millennial Return Theory, Yeshua comes back to earth at the start of the Millennium, and then hangs around the bride’s house (i.e., the earth) for a thousand years before taking her (Israel) back to His Father’s House. The wedding supper goes stale, and the Father starts to wonder what has happened to His Son.
Think about it: If you were Yeshua, would you want to hang around the bride’s father’s house for a thousand years? Or would you rather take your bride (Israel) straight back to your Father’s House, so you could begin enjoying your new life together right away?
Isn’t it time people stopped trying to make Scripture say what they want it to say? Isn’t it time just to step back, and take a really good look at what Scripture actually does say (and then believe that, instead)?