The Resurrection Theme

The Resurrection Theme A. resurrection: The rising again of Christ after His death and burial. 2. The rising again of mankind at the Last Day. 3. The action or fact of rising again from sleep, decay, disuse, etc.; revival; restoration to previous status or vogue. B. Resurrection (life from death) is the grand theme of revelation, salvation and history. 1. It is the general hope of the very creation. ROM 8:20-23. 2. It is the hope of Israel. ACT 24:14-15; 26:6-8. 3. It is the hope of all believers. 1TH 4:13-18. 4. Sin and its effect (death) will be overcome. 1CO 15:54-57. 5. Resurrection is the expectation of the oldest book of the Bible and the last/newest book of the Bible. JOB 19:25-27; REV 20:13. C. Life rising from death is entirely dependent on Jesus Christ Who is the resurrection. JOH 11:25; 5:21, 28-29. 1. His birth from the womb of a woman under sin was a form of life from the dead. LUK 1:35, 47. 2. His resurrection from the womb of earth itself (the grave) was absolutely necessary for our salvation and future resurrection. ROM 4:25; 1CO 15:14-20. 3. His ascension to the heavenly throne was a rising from the deadness of the creation. ACT 2:30-32. 4. NOTE: (If my math is correct), there were six bodily resurrections in Scripture prior to the resurrection of Christ. a. There were three OT resurrections. 1KI 17:21-22; 2KI 4:34-35; 2KI 13:21. b. Jesus resurrected three. LUK 7:12-15; 8:52-55; JOH 11:43-44. c. Jesus Christ’s own resurrection was the seventh, the number of perfection and rest. d. This broke open the prison. MAT 27:51-53; ACT 20:9-10. D. Resurrection power is God’s department alone, now in the hand of Jesus Christ. DEU 32:39; ROM 4:17 c/w REV 1:17-18. 1. This is miraculous power and no vain efforts of cryogenics or transhumanism will seize it. 2. Figurative applications of this power (rising from sleep, decay, etc.) have poetic value but the actual power of life from death is not the same as the revival of something dormant which still has life in it, such as the tree stump of JOB 14:8-9 or the deadly wound of the beast of REV 13:3. 3. The regeneration of sinners is by the same power as is needed for the resurrection of the body. EPH 1:19-20; 2:1, 5, 10 c/w JOH 5:25. E. The resurrection power and principle is throughout Scripture in various examples and pictures. 1. The conception of Isaac was owing to miraculous resurrection power. ROM 4:19. 2. The raising of Isaac from off his altar was a figure of resurrection. HEB 11:17-19. 3. God’s word to Moses at the burning bush was a statement of resurrection. LUK 20:37-38. 4. The true hope of Israel (the resurrection of the dead) is the basis of the prophetic word of EZE 37:1-14. a. Recall ACT 24:14-15; 26:6-8 and compare that with ISA 26:19. b. Even if one assumes that EZE 37:1-14 is a metaphor for the restoration of Israel, the metaphor is broken unless there is a true bodily resurrection. c. Resurrection is not merely a fabulous story like the phoenix. 2PE 1:16. F. Since resurrection is not only a power over death but also over the grave/burial, 1. iron miraculously came to the surface in 2KI 6:6. 2. Jonah was three days and three night in the belly of the whale. MAT 12:40. 3. seed that produces is first cast into the ground. MAR 4:26; JOH 12:24. The Resurrection Theme 10-7-23 Page 1 of 2  4. Jesus had to be immersed under God’s wrath for us. MAT 20:22 c/w PSA 69:1-4. 5. Jesus conquered both death and the grave. If one is given to making images of Christ’s work, perhaps an empty tomb would be a better image. Better yet, “...put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (COL 3:10). G. In coming to Christ in conversion, the penitent believer applies the resurrection of Christ responsively. 1. All the elements of Christ’s work for sinners were required to save them: bloodshed, death, burial and resurrection. ROM 4:25. 2. The believer’s baptism accurately models that of the voluntary death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ Who Himself submitted to such an ordinance. JOH 10:18; MAT 3:15-17. 3. With this ceremonial identity with the resurrection principle, the believer also practically dies to sin and buries the old man to arise to walk in newness of life. ROM 6:1-7. 4. Subsequent acts of separating from dead sinners and dead works are further applications of the resurrection principle. EPH 5:11-14. 5. Conversion is the grateful response of a humbled sinner to Jesus Christ Who took away his sins by His death, burial and resurrection. ROM 7:24-25. a. It is a promise to Christ to be faithful and improving. HEB 10:22-23; 1JO 3:2-3. b. It is a testimony that Christ will faithfully raise him incorruptible. 1CO 15:51-58. The Resurrection Theme 10-7-23 Page 2 of 2