Chapter 12 Resurrection Hope

“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:14

Both Emerging from the Rubble and Hope for Everyone begin with a character being resurrected. But is it reasonable to believe that people will be resurrected after they die?

The resurrection of Jesus is a core belief within Christianity. The Bible records that Jesus was seen after his death by several women who knew him well and also by his disciples (one of whom touched his wounds) and five hundred others.

Christianity, Judaism and Islam (the three Abrahamic religions), as well as many other religions, share the belief that people will be resurrected.  

We are not sure what happens immediately after a person dies. Jesus describes death as sleeping (John 11:11), and so in our books we describe everyone’s first tangible experience after death as like waking up after sleep, but with a resurrected, immortal body. However, we have also hinted at an initial awareness of being outside of the body and a movement toward a bright light. This is based on the many thousands of near-death experiences that people have documented. We believe that there is enough anecdotal evidence to take seriously the idea that the spirit may have some awareness of travelling between the embodied states of this life and the resurrected life to come.

Whatever happens before a person gains their new body, we are convinced that at some point in the future every person who has ever been conceived will be resurrected.

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 ESV

These verses strongly support the belief that everyone will be resurrected at some point in the future, but will everyone be resurrected at the same time? We believe that in the future the population of the Earth will suffer a great calamity and then Jesus will return to the Earth in his immortal human-like body. Some people will be resurrected to join Jesus at this time. After many years the Earth will pass away, and a new earth will be formed (see Chapter 14). It is on this new earth that everyone who has ever lived will eventually enjoy abundant life.

We, and others whom we know, have been confused in the past that some verses appear to state that only those who have truly believed in Jesus and followed him or those who are considered as being righteous (just) will be resurrected:

“But when you give a banquet or a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (the just, the upright). Luke 14:13-14 AMP

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:40 ESV

We now believe that these verses refer to the resurrection of Jesus’ followers at the time of his return to this Earth.

There is no consensus about what will happen during the calamity (often referred to as the Great Tribulation) that will precede Jesus’ return. There are many aspects of this calamity that we do not have a clear view on ourselves. However there are a number of verses that indicate that both true believers who have died and true believers who are still alive when Jesus returns will be given new immortal bodies at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, Rev 20:6).

Those who don’t believe in Jesus at the time of the calamity should not give up hope, as they will be resurrected later on the new earth (Rev 20:12-13).

The marriage of Jesus and his ‘bride’

When Jesus returns, those who have been resurrected and considered worthy will be ‘married’ to Jesus and invited to a wedding feast.

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Rev 19:6-9 ESV

This is the banquet that we allude to near the beginning of Emerging from the Rubble. We have taken the liberty in our story of suggesting that it is at this feast that Jesus asks those present to help him reign on Earth and assigns them various tasks.

“Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Rev 20:4 ESV

“He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 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.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Luke 19:12-19 ESV

Based on these and other passages of scripture, in Emerging from the Rubble we describe how our main characters (Thomas, Anne, Harmony and Yan), are sent back to a community on the Earth after they have been resurrected. Although the word ‘reign’ could be construed as occupying a position of power and authority, we believe that our portrayal of them as humble and unassertive is closer to the example that Jesus has set for us. Through showing love they eventually influence and improve the character of the community to which they have been sent.

The ‘saints’

The followers of Jesus who are raised first from the dead when Jesus returns to Earth (or transformed, in the case of those alive at the time) are those who have achieved exceptional levels of maturity in their earthly lives. In our books we call people like this ‘saints’, although they are not necessarily the recognised and canonised individuals celebrated by the established church. We believe that many of the saints who will be raised at this time are people who lived and died in obscurity, far from the pages of history books or film crews. The characters we’ve created in Emerging from the Rubble are men and women whose faith in Jesus and obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit resulted in courageous acts of selfless love for the good of other people in the current age. Jesus recognises their extraordinary commitment to his way of agape love and knows that they will be able to handle the tasks he commissions them with during this period.

Other believers may have trusted in Jesus and begun to learn to live in the way of love from his teaching but may not have reached the levels of maturity required to meet the challenges of the millennium. As a result, they will not be resurrected at the start of this period. By the way, it is worth noting that neither of us is confident that we would qualify to be raised first and these books are not meant to grandstand us as saints! Our beliefs are instead based on our experience of people whose lives reflect God’s selfless love to a truly humbling degree. We know that there are many followers of Jesus across the world who exemplify his love but never seek any recognition or reward. These beautiful people are the ones who know Jesus’ heart and would be able to bring good news to the poor in spirit, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

True Christians will go to ‘hell’

This is a provocative statement and needs some explanation! What we mean is that those who truly follow Jesus will continue to pour themselves out in love for others, just as he did. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, to bind broken hearts, open blind eyes and proclaim good news to the poor. True Christians have been doing the same ever since, putting themselves in difficult, even life-threatening situations to follow Jesus. We believe that they will maintain this level of commitment in the ages to come. We describe the saints in Emerging from the Rubble as being willing to follow Jesus in the trials they experience in the communities to which they are sent, and we expect them to continue this type of work on the new earth in Hope for Everyone. The heart of Christ to seek out and redeem the lost does not change, and so it is natural that sincere, mature followers will continue to act as his co-workers in the ages to come. They will join in Jesus’ work of reconciliation by living alongside and showing unfailing love for those who do not know him in the ‘hellish’ situations that are the purifying, fiery trials they must go through.

In short, living a life where love is above all else compels a person to draw alongside others in their suffering and pain. Following Jesus is messy, courageous, difficult, and often painful – but agape love perseveres and wins in the end.