| Subject: The Resurrections Post 3 |
Author:
Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 20:11:23 01/24/10 Sun
The Resurrection Body
When talking about the resurrection one of the first question that will pop up is; “What will the resurrected body look like?” We are not left to wonder about many of the details of the resurrected body as God gives us considerable information concerning our future bodies. The most informative chapter in the Bible on the resurrection is 1 Corinthians 15. In Paul's day there were many who doubted there would be a resurrection of the body. Evidently there were some in the Church at Corinth as Paul spent much time in his first letter to them explaining what he knew of the resurrection body. While we can't know exactly what we will look like we can get a good idea from Paul's letter.
1 Corinthians15:35-38 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: 38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
Paul is addressing the doubters and he calls them fools. He then uses examples in nature that show there is a natural order to this supernatural event. Seeds planted must "die" before they can sprout into a plant. The plant does not look like the seed that was planted but is far more glorious and beautiful than the plain seed that was placed in the dirt. Notice the body that is given to that which sprouts from the seed is a body that was pleasing to God. God did not consult anyone or anything as to what they thought the body ought to look like. Our resurrected body will be a body that pleases God.
1 Corinthians15:39-44 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
Paul goes from plant life to animal, bird and fish life in continuing his discourse on the resurrected body. It is easy for people to relate to the different flesh of birds in relation to fish. It is easy to see the flesh of a fish or snake is not the same as a horse or cow. He then turns to the heavens and says look up there. Notice the difference between the sun and moon and stars. They differ in glory from each other because they are different. He then says so also is the resurrection body. The body is placed in the ground as corruption. When Jesus told them to roll back the stone to raise Lazarus Martha objected because she knew that after four days the corruption would be so great that he would stink.(John 11:39) The good news is that when it comes forth is is not going to stink. It will not be like a zombie or ghoul. It goes down as an inglorious helpless piece of meat and will come forth as a glorious being raised in power and glory. It is sown as a natural extension of the dirt it came from but it will be raised as a glorious product of the heavenly God who created it.
1 Corinthians15:45-49 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
First things first. Adam was made a living soul according to the scriptures above. Jesus is called the last Adam and in His resurrection is called a quickening spirit. I say in His resurrection because before His resurrection He was a mortal man subject to the same weaknesses as Adam. Notice the word quickening. It denotes a continuing action. The verse does not say a "quickened" spirit but a quickening. Jesus, as our resurrected God is able to make alive all who will trust Him. This making alive is in the sense of the spiritual life. The spiritual body that the saved are to receive. Jesus will impart to others the same attributes that He has in His resurrected body. Our great promise is found in verse 49: "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."
1 Corinthians15:50-55 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 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 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. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Verse 50 tells us that flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom. There has to be a change from the natural to the supernatural. Our corrupted flesh is not going to inherit that which knows no corruption. We are to be changed. Paul instructs us that we will not all die (sleep) but we will all be changed. Not everyone will meet the grave but everyone who is saved is to be changed from this corrupt, vile and mortal body we were born with. This inheritance from Adam is to be done away with and a new inheritance will be given to us. Verse 52 tells us the events surrounding our change. A trumpet will sound and we shall be changed. In 1 Thessalonians Paul goes into greater detail of this event. 1 Thessalonians4:15-18 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. 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: 17 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
These are comforting words indeed. Our Saviour is one day going to come back to the atmosphere in the clouds and there will go up a shout and the trumpet of God and it is going to first wake the dead. They shall rise first according to the scripture and then those who are alive and remain to His coming will be caught up together with those resurrected. All this will take place in the moment and twinkling of an eye as we read in 1 Cor. 15:52. I don't know how fast a twinkling of an eye will be but I'm sure there won't be time to think. The description would leave one to believe that it will be instantaneous. What a change and what a comfort!
A few other details of our promised body that we may glean from scripture is that although it is a spiritual body it does have physical attributes. Luke 24:36-43 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
The disciples were in a closed room and suddenly Jesus in His resurrected body stands in the midst without going through a door. The natural laws do not pertain to the resurrected body. Solids are no more a barrier than air. Notice when Jesus told them He was not a spirit He told them that a spirit does not have flesh and bones as He has. The resurrected body will have flesh but it will not be the mortal flesh it once consisted of. The resurrected body will have bones but it will not have blood. The scriptures are plain that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom (1 Cor. 15:50). Jesus blood was shed on Calvary and His new body does not need blood to carry life giving oxygen to the extremities to keep it alive. Neither will ours as we will have a body fashioned like His glorious body (Philippians 3:21). Our new bodies will not be limited by time and distance. Witness this event that happened on resurrection morning. John 20:15-18 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Compare these verses with what takes place a little later in the day. Mary and Martha are together and have been back to visit the tomb. Notice in the account in John 20 that only Mary meets Jesus. Here in this passage it is Mary and Martha. In John He tells Mary He is about to ascend to the Father. In this next passage He is going into Galilee: Matthew 28:8-10 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. The difference? Mary could not touch Him earlier but now they could hold Him and worship Him. He had made the trip to the Father and back.
A body that is not hindered by time nor space. A body that can ascend to the Father a gazillion light years away in the third heaven, present His shed blood at the Mercy Seat and then return to earth in a space of not more than a very few hours. NASA isn't even close to being in the running.
A body that is spiritual yet physical. A body that does not need food but will eat. A body that can travel much faster than the speed of light. A body that will know no pain nor aging, a body that can go through solid objects as though they didn't exist. In other words a body that is just like our Saviour's body and a body with which we will be satisfied.
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