The Messiah’s Secret – I Believe in the Resurrection of the body and life everlasting.  Creed Series.

Song by James Weldom: “Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones, dem bones, dem bones dem dry bones dem bones dem bones dem dry bones, now here ‘s the word of the Lord.”

THE BIBLE has the answers to the future of the planet and God’s plan to establish his kingdom on earth through the Messiah’s reign.

Ezekiel prophesied that God would raise the dead . “And the bones came together, bone to its bone. And as I looked, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them . . . .  you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.” Ezekiel 37:1- 8, 10-13.

Ezekiel’s prophecy fulfilled when God raised Jesus from the dead, a bodily resurrection, the first fruit of them that slept.

Job points us to the Messiah, “I know that my redeemer lives, and at last, he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been destroyed, then from my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19: 25, 26.

Martha in her conversation with Jesus believed Ezekiel’s prophecy:

 “Jesus said to Martha, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Martha’s response was the understanding, the teaching of the day, that on the last day, the resurrection of the dead.

Early Church confusion                              

But in the early church there was confusion when Christians were dying but their bodies remained in the grave.

It left people undecided some were now saying that there was no bodily resurrection.

Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians Chapter 15 he made the point firstly that Jesus was seen after his death and burial: Peter, the twelve and to hundreds of people. And in verses 13, 14 he pointed out, “If like some were now saying that there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ was not raised from the dead and you are still in your sins.”

He continues verse 23 “Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”

In this verse Paul gives us insight into the timing of the resurrection of the dead in Christ. We receive our resurrected body when Jesus calls out his church; those who are alive on the earth and those who have died in Christ will meet together in the air.

In verse 51 “We shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and mortal puts on immortality.”

A bodily resurrection: the bones put on flesh and breath enters the body as Christians rise up from the grave, and where the ashes of Christians have been scattered, each persons ashes will be gathered up and become a resurrected immortal body.

The insight Jesus gave to Martha and ourselves about his resurrection.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live, and whoever believes in me shall never die.” John 11: 23-27.

 “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Martha would understand what Jesus was saying as she would hear the prayer below being said at the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus was telling her indirectly that he was the Messiah, salvation and eternal life was in him, believing that he is the Messiah.

“ A voice heralds, heralds and saith: Turn unto me and be ye saved, Today if ye hear my voice. Behold the man sprang forth – Branch is his name- David himself.   Stand up! Be buried in the dust no longer! Ye who dwell in the dust. Wake up and sing. Glad will be the people when he ruleth. The name of the ungodly shall perish. But to his anointed, the Messiah David, he giveth grace Grant salvation to the eternal people to David and his seed forever. The voice heralds and saith.”    

A Messianic Prayer, the Last Day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Taken from Buksbaken “Gospel in the Feasts of Israel”.

Martha’s brother Lazarus raised from the dead.  

Four days after Lazarus had died Jesus called Lazarus up from the grave, the cave were he lay.                                              

Here we see mirrored when Jesus will call of the church, the believers in Christ will receive their own immortal body. A bodily resurrection, the bones put on flesh and breath enters the body as we rise up from the grave to meet Christ in the air, never to die again. John 11: 38-44.

Jesus the first fruit.

Jesus raised up by God to receive an immortal human body that was recognisable as belonging to him.

Jesus words to Martha apply to us through our faith in him “He/she who believes in me, though he die, Just as Jesus died ,so we will one day die.

 “yet he shall live.” Continue to live out our lives. “whoever believes in me shall never die.” but have passed over from death to life.

We are risen with Christ through faith in Jesus we have been united with him in his death, dying for our sin, and raised up with him in forgiveness of our sins and receive eternal life.

Paul gave the church at Corinth and us today the assurance that while we live now, our bodies contain our eternal life in Christ, although we in our eternal life would rather leave our earthly body to be with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5: 6-8

Paul wrote in his letter to the church at Philippi, “I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for it is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” Faith is to believe that when we die it’s our spirit that is resurrected and goes to that place prepared in our Father’s house and our bodies will be gathered and transformed and restored to us when Jesus calls out the church. Philippians 1: 23.

The signs of the time of Christ’s calling out of the Church.

We have this hope of being called out and it will be unexpected like the thief in the night. It is necessary for the believers to be ready in Jesus finding us busy in witness and serving, while watching for the coming of his kingdom on the earth and we can rest in that whatever is about to happen to us, because Jesus loves his body the church we will escape the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1: 10

Prophesies coming true in our time that lead us to think we are not far off Jesus’ return

The current world seems to be tottering on the edge of nuclear war. The prophesies of Daniel  are fast becoming a reality. The increase in knowledge, the computer revolution. The DNA science manipulating cell activity, we don’t know what some scientists are up to. The world family of nations coming ever closer to a one world government.  Daniel &: 24. 12: 4.

“For we walk by faith and not by sight” looking for the world to come, everlasting life

After this great reunion in the air when those who are alive meet with those who have died in Christ, we attend the wedding the bride (the church) and the bridegroom Jesus. This is followed by the supper of the lamb. Revelation 19: 7, 9.

 “Then the Lord your God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” Zechariah 14: 5,  16.

Jesus returns with the saints the church, and Jesus takes up with the remnant of Israel at Jerusalem and the battle against the antichrist takes place. Zechariah 14: 1-5

The antichrist is defeated and we will reign and rule with Christ over the kingdoms of the earth. The parable of the pounds  refers to this: “And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.” Luke 19: 17. We shall judge the world and angels. 1 Corinthians 6: 2, 3.

The wise worldly person searches for answers to questions about the future of our planet and I believe as we draw closer to Christ’s coming many will turn the pages of the Bible as it covers the beginning and end of all things.