Resurrection – What is the Meaning and Purpose of the Resurrection?

Question

If after we die and our spirit/soul is not asleep in the grave but that our spirit/soul is gone to the Blessed Regions (Paradise) vs the Punishment Regions (Hell) in Hades, then why do we need the Resurrection?

Isn’t the Purpose of the Resurrection is —> so that we can ‘enter’ heaven?

Reply

This is a common fallacy arising from not understanding Scriptural details to the last dot.

Firstly, when Holy Scripture mentions ‘the dead’ it can refer to either one of the four below:

(i) The Dead = The Dead Body or Corpse, Lifeless Carcass of a Man (e.g. Isaiah 66:24)

Example:

“For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.” (Ecclesiastes 3:19 – 20, NASB)

The SAME FATE spoken in Verses above for BOTH MAN and BEAST (Ecclesiastes 3:19) = Their DEAD BODY going to the DUST (Ecclesiastes 3:20), i.e. only the DEAD BODY SLEEPS in the DUST .

After that, the Preacher contemplates THEIR SPIRIT next where the fate of MAN and BEAST are NOT the SAME as the NEXT VERSE reveals (in regards to the MOVE as to WHERE the SPIRITS go after Death?):

“Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” (Ecclesiastes 3:21, KJV)

Remember,

“… body without the spirit is dead …” (James 2:26, NASB) = the BODY referred to as the DEAD which SLEEPS and NOT the SPIRIT or SOUL sleeping TOGETHER with it (as you ‘assume is the case’). Can you see it?

Please notice carefully that the phrase “without the spirit is dead” in Verse above clearly proves that the SPIRIT is ABSENT from the BODY and NOT sleeping with it.

(ii) The Dead = The Soul of the Dead Man (Soul with spirit refers to the person still being able to ‘remember’ his previous temporal life as the Story of the Rich Man & Lazarus proves, Luke 16:19 – 31). Remember, a parable cannot use ‘imaginary’ things and thus such an afterlife Description MUST EXIST even though ‘almost no one knew it to such fine details before this was revealed in Holy Scripture’.

(iii) The Dead = The Spirit of the Dead Man (Ecclesiastes 3:21 with Context of Death in Ecclesiastes 3:19 – 20 first) could be in ‘afterlife punishment prisons too’ (e.g. the human spirits from the time of Noah who once did NOT obey, 1 Peter 3:18 – 19).

Death in the FLESH = Spirit (with Soul) separates from Body where the Spirit moves into the afterlife regions while the Body sleeps in its grave. How do we know this?

The Actual Biblical Example of what happened to Christ Proves this Irrefutably in Verses below:

“because Christ also sufferedd once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might bring you to God, having been put to Death indeed in the Flesh, but having been made Alive in the Spirit, in which also having gone, He preached to the spirits in prison.” (1 Peter 3:18 – 19, BLB)

made Alive in the Spirit = He is CONSCIOUS in the AFTERLIFE preaching to other “spirits in prison” on the SAME DAY He DIED

Lord Jesus Christ went there with “His Spirit” on the SAME DAY He Died on His Cross as He ALSO went to PARADISE on this SAME DAY too, Verse below:

“And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, TODAY you shall be with Me in PARADISE.” – Lord Jesus Christ to the ‘thief on the cross’ (Luke 23:43, NASB)

So, Paradise (afterlife regions of the righteous) is Different from the Highest Heaven or Beyond where the Father Dwells toward which He Ascended only after His Bodily Resurrection (THREE DAYS Later, John 20:17, Acts 1:9, Matthew 28:6, Ephesians 4:10).

Do note carefully that Paradise and Abraham’s Bosom (afterlife blessed regions of the righteous existed before Christ’s Manifestation in the Flesh itself, Luke 16:19 – 31, Luke 23:43) but some parts of it are ONLY accessible after He is Risen (Genesis 3:24, Revelation 2:7). No point in putting an angel to guard the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24) if ‘no’ human spirits (souls) or other hostilities can never be near it, right?

More Details regarding who are the ‘spirits in prison’ and the ‘Gospel being preached to the Dead’, please consider the write-ups below for edification:

Spirits in Prison – Resurrection – Bodily Resurrection in a Spiritual Body – FAQ

Afterlife Salvation Mysteries

Secrets of the Gospel being Preached to the Dead

Please note that both Elijah and Moses (Luke 9:28 – 36) were ALIVE and CONSCIOUS with their SPIRITS (souls) in the AFTERLIFE during the Transfiguration bearing Witness of Him proving this Truth Irrefutably.

(iv) The Dead = The first resurrection of the Wicked in their FLESH (John 5:28 – 29) for JUDGMENT in the LAKE of FIRE (1 Peter 4:5 – 6). Please note that both 1 Peter 4:5 – 6 and Revelation 20:11 – 15 calls the WICKED as “the Dead” in front of His Great White Throne proving this.

*The phrase ‘dead in sins’ or equivalent only (e.g. Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13) refers to ‘spiritually dead’. The above refers to when the Context of the passage obviously refers to the ‘physically dead’.

These are easy to distinguish in Scripture (Are we that confused or incompetent to see which is which? Doesn’t such a claim contradict 1 John 2:27?).

Here’s a Warning to the Scholars and Christians: If you ‘simply claim that the dead’ refers to the ‘spiritually dead and not the physically dead’ in such Verses, doesn’t that make you a ‘liar’? Now, where do ‘liars’ go?

Therefore, please be CAREFUL and ACCURATE in YOUR CLAIM or be ‘ready to face the consequences’. If you are ‘not’ sure, please say that you are ‘not sure’ – honestly. Truth speaking is so simple, isn’t it (Matthew 12:37)?

Conclusion

Spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:44) means we can live on earth, meaning of Resurrection (e.g. for believers in ‘faith’ –> 1 Thessalonians 4:14 – 17, Revelation 20:4 – 6, Luke 20:35 – 36).

Living in the spirit is in the afterlife (Luke 16:19 – 31) where spirits are not able to live on earth.

The spiritual body Means we can live both in the spirit World and on the earth after the Resurrection.

Example of a Prophecy:

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall see God;” (Job 19:25 – 26, NASB)

“Even after my skin is destroyed” = the first earthly body is DESTROYED.

“Yet from my flesh I shall see God” = Job will see GOD in his RESURRECTED BODY = FLESH of the SPIRITUAL BODY.

P/S: But, don’t ‘the dead’ know nothing?

“The dead know not anything” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) is with regards to them NOT knowing the ‘things happening on earth’ (because they are separated, being in the spirit world’) —-> and hence are not aware of what’s happening on earth (generally) —> as the CONTEXT of the NEXT VERSE explains this ‘meaning’ in regards to ‘NOT knowing anything UNDER THE SUN (or on earth) —> to quote: “Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 9:6, NASB)

Here’s another example, Verse:

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10, NASB)

So,

“there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” —-> refers to —> “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (CONTEXT of EARTH in Verse above itself). Can you see it?

It does NOT Prove ‘soul sleep’ or ‘spirit sleep’ or ‘unconsciousness at death’ (these words or even this TOPIC is NOT discussed in these Verses at all – Which Verse please?) —> but just that the NO ACTIVITY in SHEOL refers to the CONTEXT of EARTHLY ACTIVITY ONLY as the phrase “”Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” proves IRREFUTABLY within this SAME VERSE.

Even the Verses Surrounding it Proves the EARTHLY ACTIVITY ONLY (and ‘not afterlife consciousness or activity being referred to here’) as evidenced by these phrases:

(i) One Verse Before

“… you have labored under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:9) —> refers to EARTH (EARTHLY Context) for ‘the non-existence of any such activity or Wisdom in Sheol’ (Comparison or Contrast in Ecclesiastes 9:10).

(ii) One Verse After:

“I again saw under the sun …” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) —> refers to EARTH again (EARTHLY Context) for ‘the non-existence of any such activity or Wisdom in Sheol’ (Comparison or Contrast in Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Are we Blind or just Plain Ignorant to keep claiming otherwise with NO VERSES?

You will reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7) and so, please RESPECT His Word.

A Good Bible Lesson: Please read the Verses surrounding ‘the Verse you quoted first’ (to be ‘IN CONTEXT’) before quoting ‘some other Bible books’ of which even the author who wrote this Verse may have NEVER READ/SEEN it in the first place. Can you SEE it?

Where are your Verses please?