EARTHLY RESURRECTION | yomelyah.com

The earthly resurrection

"Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment"

(John 5:28,29)

The Bible teaches the restoration of the former earthly paradise, lost by Adam and Eve. The prophecy of Isaiah (11, 35, 65), Ezekiel (40-48), and the Psalms (especially the 37) indicate the restoration of the Earthly Paradise. The last book of the Bible, Revelation describes the restoration of Earthly Paradise: “With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them.  And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away”” (Revelation 21:3,4). This same book indicates that at the end of the 1000 years, there will be holy ones, Jehovah's Worshipers in the earthly Paradise: “And they advanced over the whole earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them" (Revelation 20:9). This text shows that the earthly holy ones will be protected from the last attack of Satan, himself being destroyed, at the end of a thousand years.

Therefore, there is no doubt that the Bible teaches that most of the dead humans will be resurrected in the earthly paradise. Only 144,000 humans, redeemed from the earth will be resurrected in heaven: “Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1-5; 7:1-8).

“And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2).

“And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous” (Acts 24:15).

Moreover, faithful people, who were dead before the time of Christ and the apostles, were not in heaven: "Moreover, no man has ascended into heaven but the one who descended from heaven, the Son of man" (John 3:13). This text is clear "no man has ascended into heaven". Even after the death and resurrection of Christ, and his ascension to heaven, this is what the Apostle Peter said about King David: “Men, brothers, it is permissible to speak with freeness of speech to you about the family head David, that he died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (Acts 2:29).

This text clearly shows that King David, a faithful one, was not resurrected at the time of the Apostles. During the earthly ministry of Christ, all the resurrection he did, the dead were resurrected in a human body. The most spectacular resurrection being that of Lazarus (John 11). The following Bible study will focus on the study of the prophecy of Ezekiel 40-48, on the earthly administration of this earthly resurrection during the 1,000-year reign of Christ. This prophecy reveals very encouraging information.

The Resurrections Made by Jesus Christ

to Strengthen our Faith in Hope

Jesus Christ resurrects the son of a widow: "Soon afterward he traveled to a city called Naʹin, and his disciples and a large crowd were traveling with him. As he got near the gate of the city, why look! there was a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother. Besides, she was a widow. A considerable crowd from the city was also with her. When the Lord caught sight of her, he was moved with pity for her, and he said to her: “Stop weeping.” With that he approached and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. Then he said: “Young man, I say to you, get up!” And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Now fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying: “A great prophet has been raised up among us,” and, “God has turned his attention to his people.” And this news concerning him spread out into all Ju·deʹa and all the surrounding country" (Luke 7:11-17).

Jesus Christ resurrects Jairus' daughter: "While he was yet speaking, a representative of the presiding officer of the synagogue came, saying: “Your daughter has died; do not bother the Teacher any longer.” On hearing this, Jesus answered him: “Have no fear, only have faith, and she will be saved.” When he reached the house, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the girl’s father and mother. But people were all weeping and beating themselves in grief for her. So he said: “Stop weeping, for she did not die but is sleeping.” At this they began to laugh at him scornfully, because they knew she had died. But he took her by the hand and called to her: “Child, get up!” And her spirit returned, and she rose immediately, and he ordered that something be given her to eat. Well, her parents were beside themselves, but he instructed them to tell no one what had happened" (Luke 8:49-56).

Jesus Christ resurrects his friend Lazarus, who has been dead for four days: "Jesus had not yet come into the village, but he was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw her get up quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, she fell at his feet and said to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he groaned within himself and became troubled. He said: “Where have you laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” Jesus gave way to tears. At that the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he had for him!” But some of them said: “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind man prevent this one from dying?” Then Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it.  Jesus said: “Take the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it has been four days.” Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” So they took the stone away. Then Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. True, I knew that you always hear me; but I spoke on account of the crowd standing around, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Lazʹa·rus, come out!” The man who had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Free him and let him go.”" (John 11:30-44).

Narratives of Christ's Resurrection

to Strengthen Our Faith in Hope

- Jesus Christ resurrected appears to women who came very early on the morning of Sunday Nisan,16:

"After the sabbath, when it was growing light on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to view the grave. And, notice! a great earthquake had taken place; for Jehovah’s angel had descended from heaven and approached and rolled away the stone, and was sitting on it. His outward appearance was as lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. Yes, for fear of him the watchmen trembled and became as dead men. But the angel in answer said to the women: “Do not you be fearful, for I know you are looking for Jesus who was impaled. 6 He is not here, for he was raised up, as he said. Come, see the place where he was lying. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he was raised up from the dead, and, look! he is going ahead of you into Galʹi·lee; there you will see him. Look! I have told you.” So, quickly leaving the memorial tomb, with fear and great joy, they ran to report to his disciples. And, look! Jesus met them and said: “Good day!” They approached and caught him by his feet and did obeisance to him. Then Jesus said to them: “Have no fear! Go, report to my brothers, that they may go off into Galʹi·lee; and there they will see me”” (Matthew 28:1-10).

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- The women announce the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the apostles who do not believe them:

"On the first day of the week, however, they went very early to the tomb, bearing the spices they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the memorial tomb, and when they entered they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were in perplexity over this, look! two men in flashing clothing stood by them. As the women became frightened and kept their faces turned to the ground, the men said to them: “Why are you looking for the living One among the dead? [He is not here, but has been raised up.] Recall how he spoke to you while he was yet in Galilee, saying that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be impaled and yet on the third day rise.” So they called his sayings to mind, and they returned from the memorial tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. They were the Magdalene Mary, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. Also, the rest of the women with them were telling the apostles these things. However, these sayings appeared as nonsense to them and they would not believe the women" (Luke 24:1-11).

- Peter and John run to the grave to check the truth of women's narrative:

"On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the memorial tomb early, while there was still darkness, and she beheld the stone already taken away from the memorial tomb. Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, for whom Jesus had affection, and she said to them: “They have taken away the Lord out of the memorial tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple went out and started for the memorial tomb. Yes, the two together began to run; but the other disciple ran ahead of Peter with greater speed and reached the memorial tomb first. And, stooping forward, he beheld the bandages lying, yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter also came following him, and he entered into the memorial tomb. And he viewed the bandages lying, also the cloth that had been upon his head not lying with the bandages but separately rolled up in one place. At that time, therefore, the other disciple who had reached the memorial tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet discern the scripture that he must rise from the dead. And so the disciples went back to their homes" (John 20:1-10).

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- Magdalene Mary meets Jesus Christ resurrected, and she does not recognize him and takes him for the gardener:

"Mary, however, kept standing outside near the memorial tomb, weeping. Then, while she was weeping, she stooped forward to look into the memorial tomb and she viewed two angels in white sitting one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them: “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have laid him.” After saying these things, she turned back and viewed Jesus standing, but she did not discern it was Jesus. Jesus said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She, imagining it was the gardener, said to him: “Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”  Jesus said to her: “Mary!” Upon turning around, she said to him, in Hebrew: “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher!”) Jesus said to her: “Stop clinging to me. For I have not yet ascended to the Father. But be on your way to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene came and brought the news to the disciples: “I have seen the Lord!” and that he said these things to her " (John 20:11-18).

- Two disciples discuss with Jesus Christ resurrected, without recognizing him, on the road to Emmaus:

"But, look! on that very day two of them were journeying to a village about seven miles distant from Jerusalem and named Emmaus, 1and they were conversing with each other over all these things that had come about. Now as they were conversing and discussing, Jesus himself approached and began walking with them; but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. He said to them: “What are these matters that you are debating between yourselves as you walk along?” And they stood still with sad faces. In answer the one named Cleopas said to him: “Are you dwelling as an alien by yourself in Jerusalem and so do not know the things that have occurred in her in these days?” And he said to them: “What things?” They said to him: “The things concerning Jesus the Nazareneʹ, who became a prophet powerful in work and word before God and all the people; and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to the sentence of death and impaled him. But we were hoping that this [man] was the one destined to deliver Israel; yes, and besides all these things, this makes the third day since these things occurred. Moreover, certain women from among us also astonished us, because they had been early to the memorial tomb but did not find his body and they came saying they had also seen a supernatural sight of angels, who said he is alive. Further, some of those with us went off to the memorial tomb; and they found it so, just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” So he said to them: “O senseless ones and slow in heart to believe on all the things the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” And commencing at Moses and all the Prophets he interpreted to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures. Finally they got close to the village where they were journeying, and he made as if he was journeying on farther. But they used pressure upon him, saying: “Stay with us, because it is toward evening and the day has already declined.” With that he went in to stay with them. And as he was reclining with them at the meal he took the loaf, blessed it, broke it and began to hand it to them. At that their eyes were fully opened and they recognized him; and he disappeared from them. And they said to each other: “Were not our hearts burning as he was speaking to us on the road, as he was fully opening up the Scriptures to us?” And in that very hour they rose and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and those with them assembled together, saying: “For a fact the Lord was raised up and he appeared to Simon!” Now they themselves related the events on the road and how he became known to them by the breaking of the loaf" (Luke 24:13-35).

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- Jesus Christ resurrected, appears to his disciples:

"While they were speaking of these things he himself stood in their midst and said to them: “May you have peace.”  But because they were terrified, and had become frightened, they were imagining they beheld a spirit. So he said to them: “Why are you troubled, and why is it doubts come up in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as you behold that I have.” And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet.  But while they were still not believing for sheer joy and were wondering, he said to them: “Do you have something there to eat?” And they handed him a piece of broiled fish; and he took it and ate it before their eyes. He now said to them: “These are my words which I spoke to you while I was yet with you, that all the things written in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and Psalms about me must be fulfilled.” Then he opened up their minds fully to grasp the meaning of the Scriptures, and he said to them: “In this way it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from among the dead on the third day, and on the basis of his name repentance for forgiveness of sins would be preached in all the nations—starting out from Jerusalem, you are to be witnesses of these things. And, look! I am sending forth upon you that which is promised by my Father. you, though, abide in the city until you become clothed with power from on high”" (Luke 24:36-49).

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- Jesus Christ resurrected appears to the Apostle Thomas who did not believe the other disciples, informing him that they had seen him at a time when he was not present:

"Therefore, when it was late on that day, the first of the week, and, although the doors were locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them: “May you have peace.” And after he said this he showed them both his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord.  Jesus, therefore, said to them again: “May you have peace. Just as the Father has sent me forth, I also am sending you.” And after he said this he blew upon them and said to them: “Receive holy spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any persons, they stand forgiven to them; if you retain those of any persons, they stand retained.” But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called The Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. Consequently the other disciples would say to him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe.” Well, eight days later his disciples were again indoors, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and he stood in their midst and said: “May you have peace.” Next he said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop being unbelieving but become believing.”  In answer Thomas said to him: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him: “Because you have seen me have you believed? Happy are those who do not see and yet believe.” To be sure, Jesus performed many other signs also before the disciples, which are not written down in this scroll. But these have been written down that YOU may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that, because of believing, you may have life by means of his name" (John 20:19-31).

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- Jesus Christ resurrected appears on the beach of the Sea of Tiberias, is recognized by his disciples by a miraculous cash. Then he encourages the Apostle Peter to spiritually feed his sheep:

"After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; but he made the manifestation in this way. There were in company Simon Peter and Thomas, who was called The Twin, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them: “I am going fishing.” They said to him: “We also are coming with you.” Out they went and got aboard the boat, but during that night they caught nothing. However, just as it was getting to be morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not, of course, discern that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them: “Young children, you do not have anything to eat, do you?” They answered “No!” to him. He said to them: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” Then they cast it, but they were no longer able to draw it in because of the multitude of the fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus used to love said to Peter: “It is the Lord!” Hence Simon Peter, upon hearing that it was the Lord, girded about himself his top garment, for he was naked, and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not a long way from land, only about three hundred feet away, dragging the net of fishes. However, when they disembarked onto land they beheld lying there a charcoal fire and fish lying upon it and bread.  Jesus said to them: “Bring some of the fish you just now caught.” Simon Peter, therefore, went on board and drew the net to land full of big fishes, one hundred and fifty-three of them. But although there were so many the net did not burst. Jesus said to them: “Come, take your breakfast.” Not one of the disciples had the courage to inquire of him: “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after his being raised up from the dead. When, now, they had breakfasted, Jesus said to Simon Peter: “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him: “Yes, Lord, you know I have affection for you.” He said to him: “Feed my lambs.” Again he said to him, a second time: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him: “Yes, Lord, you know I have affection for you.” He said to him: “Shepherd my little sheep.” He said to him the third time: “Simon son of John, do you have affection for me?” Peter became grieved that he said to him the third time: “Do you have affection for me?” So he said to him: “Lord, you know all things; you are aware that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him: “Feed my little sheep. Most truly I say to you, When you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk about where you wanted. But when you grow old you will stretch out your hands and another man will gird you and bear you where you do not wish.” This he said to signify by what sort of death he would glorify God. So, when he had said this, he said to him: “Continue following me.” Upon turning about Peter saw the disciple whom Jesus used to love following, the one who at the evening meal had also leaned back upon his breast and said: “Lord, who is the one betraying you?” Accordingly, when he caught sight of him, Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, what will this [man do]?” Jesus said to him: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” In consequence, this saying went out among the brothers, that that disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?” This is the disciple that bears witness about these things and that wrote these things, and we know that the witness he gives is true. There are, in fact, many other things also which Jesus did, which, if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose, the world itself could not contain the scrolls written" (John 21:1-25).

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