What Will Happen At the Resurrection?

Where are the dead right now?

“Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun…Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” (Ecclesiastes 9:6, 10)

Answer: The dead are in their graves. They do not feel anything or know what is going on in the world.
Further reading: Genesis 3:19; 1 Samuel 2:6; Job 14:21

But don’t people go to Heaven or Hell after they die?

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Genesis 3:19)

“His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; ” (Psalms 146:4)

Answer: No. Many have been taught that man has an immortal soul and that this soul goes to Heaven or Hell when we die. This teaching actually came from the minds of from Greek philosophers like Plato and Socrates, not from the Bible.

The Bible tells us that man is a soul, formed from the dust of the ground and the breath that God breathed into him. It teaches us that because of sin, the soul of man is mortal. It can die. When man dies, he (the dust) returns to the ground and the breath of God returns back to Him.
Further reading: Genesis 2:7,17; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Ezekiel 18:4

When will people go to Heaven or Hell?

“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.” (Acts 24:15)

Answer: The dead will go to Heaven or Hell at the Resurrection.
Further reading: Job 19:25-27; Isaiah 26:19, John 6:39-40

Is it possible for the dead to be resurrected?

“Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life…” (2 Kings 8:1)

“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 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. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.” (John 11:43-45)

Answer: Yes! The Bible records a number of instances where men and women were raised from the dead. With little exception, there were eyewitnesses at each occurrence. In the Resurrection to come, however, all the dead will be raised to life.
Further Reading: John 20:11-16; Acts 9:37-42

Why is the resurrection of the dead such an important event?

Answer: The resurrection of the dead is the hope of the Christian faith. It is why the church proclaims the gospel and endures persecution. If there were no resurrection, according to the text,

Preaching the gospel would be useless.

“But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14)
There would be no purpose in believing in Jesus.

“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain…” (1 Corinthians 15:17)
There would be no forgiveness of sin.

“And if Christ be not raised…ye are yet in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)
There would be no hope beyond the grave.

“Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:18-19)

Further reading: Genesis 49:18; Romans 8:24,25; Hebrews 11:13,14,16

What do John 5:28-29 teach us about the Resurrection?

“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)

Answer: These verses teach us that Jesus will resurrect the dead and that there will be only two resurrections, one for those who have done good and one for those who have done evil. They will not be raised at anytime prior to these resurrections.
Further reading: Luke 14:14; Acts 24:15

What will happen to the righteous at the resurrection of life?

“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.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection…they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6)

Answer: At this resurrection, the righteous dead will arise with new, immortal bodies. The faithful, living righteous ones will also receive immortal bodies. Jesus will then take them all to Heaven, where they will reign with Him for 1,000 years.
Further reading: Job 19:25-27; Psalms 17:15

What will happen to the wicked dead at the resurrection of damnation?

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection…And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:5,9)

“…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 20:13-15)

“…they shall be as though they had not been.” (Obadiah 1:16)

Answer: The wicked dead will be resurrected in the same mortal bodies they had before they died. Then, they will receive the final judgment and die the second death. From this death, there will be no resurrection.
Further reading: Malachi 4:1; Revelation 20:5-6

When will each of these resurrections happen?

“…and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31)

“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 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.” (Revelation 20:4-5)

Answer: The resurrection of the righteous will happen when Jesus returns. It will mark the beginning of the one thousand years where they will live and reign in Heaven with Jesus. At the end of the thousand years, the unrighteous will be resurrected.
Further reading: Job 19:25-27; John 6:39-40, 11:23,24

How can I be a part of the first resurrection?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“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: 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.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25-26)

Answer: By accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and keeping the faith until His return. The faithful ones who never knew Christ by His name, but held onto His promises and lived up to what they knew will also be a part of the first resurrection.
Further reading: Romans 2:14-16; Revelation 14:12

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