Resurrections of the dead

in the time of the end

Sin is the transgression of the Law, and the wage of sin is death. Adam and Eve as the first ancestors of men were the only created beings of God on earth, who had been placed in a very beautiful garden house, by the name Eden. The splendor and beauty of the garden house have never before conceived by anyone else except by only both of the first couple themselves. Eden which has been nicknamed also as the Paradise, have been re-lifted to heaven some time after the downfall of the happy couple in sin. 

Immediately after their being placed in Eden, the Lord God hence introduced to them His character, which is so majestic and sublime,  which is known among men up to this time, as the LOVE of GOD. This is followed by its complete classifications in the Ten Commandments, as the basic Law or the Constitution of the Kingdom of God, which is later complemented further into details in its rules of implementations, which among other things are the obligations to fulfill the earth with their offspring. Stem from the sublime and glorious Love toward His creature the Lord had issued a very important regulation to Adam and Eve, which must be obeyed, in the following statements:

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” –Genesis 2 : 16, 17.

This instruction was first submitted by God Himself verbally to Adam, prior to the creation of Eve. And the same instruction has been passed to her with all other basic instructions, which have been imprinted into their hearts since the beginning as the LOVE of their MAKER.  This is why Sister White said:  “Adam and Eve, at their creation, had a knowledge of the law of God. It was printed on their hearts, and they understood its claims upon them.” – EGW, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1104.

About thirty five years Adam and Eve had ever enjoyed their beautiful garden home of Eden before their fall for having committed themselves into eating of the fruits of the forbidden tree in the midst of the garden. Maybe for some people such a transgression may seem only a trivial matter that the Lord would be looked upon as too exact and excessive. However, in the sense of the Law of God, which is also embraced by all the citizens of His Kingdom here on earth, Adam and Eve have been found betrayed their Creator, because they have more trusted to the Deceiver’s voice that to their own Maker. God in His loving kindness have forbidden them to approach the poisonous fruits of the deadly tree.

Therefore both of them have been found transgressing the First Commandment of the Constitution for having obeyed the voice of another god than to their own God and Creator; and also having transgressed the Sixth Commandment of the same Constitution for having killed themselves. They have failed to love God supremely with all their hearts and with all their souls and power. And they also have failed to love their own bodies themselves. They have been completely sinned, and deserved to get the death penalty in the same day. However, why the death penalty was not at once enforced in this case?

“Adam listened to the words of the tempter, and yielding to his insinuations, fell into sin. Why was not the death penalty at once enforced in his case? – Because a ransom was found. God’s only begotten Son volunteered to take the sin of man upon himself, and to make an atonement for the fallen race. There could have been no pardon for sin had this atonement not been made.” – Review and Herald, April 23, 1901.

So instead of Adam bore his death penalty in the year 35 of his age, he had been in fact permitted to live longer to reach the age of 930 years on the earth. We are not too much familiar with the life story of Adam and Eve his wife, but according to the words of God through THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY both of them will be found among the resurrected ones at the second coming of Jesus. Sister White said:

“The gospel was first preached to Adam by Christ. Adam and Eve felt sincere sorrow and repentance for their guilt. They believed the precious promise of God, and were saved from utter ruin.” – Review and Herald, April 29, 1875.

“Adam, who stands among the risen throng, is of lofty height and majestic form, in stature but little below the Son of God. He presents a marked contrast to the people of later generations; in this one respect is shown the great degeneracy of the race. But all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth.” –The Great Controversy, p. 644.

The First Resurrection

The first resurrection is actually meaning the first general resurrection of all the people on earth. In this resurrection all the people of God, ever since Adam and Eve up to the time of the end, will be resurrected. Since in the first resurrection only the people of God would be called to awake, hence all other people who are not of God must be called to awake in the second general resurrection.

For God will not suffer His creatures to be so easily perished in their sins after their downfall, He therefore has initiated a process of redemption to win them back to salvation. Apostle John said:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3 : 16.

For almost nine hundreds years Adam and Eve have been given a period of probation that they may return to fully trust in Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, so that they will not later perish forever in their sins,  but to obtain an everlasting life. And the fact is that Adam and his wife had availed themselves to the opportunities during their times of probation to return to trust in Jesus, and therefore they will be called to awake in that first resurrection. This is the same resurrection which has been anticipated by all the people of God in the time of the apostles. The apostle Paul said:

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” –1 Thessalonians 4 : 16, 17 & 18.

Only those who have died in Christ, and them that are still alive now in the faith of the saints, are to be saved at the coming of Jesus. In short, only the true people of God, those who falleth seven times and riseth up again (Proverbs 24 : 16), who have successfully gained their status of the citizenship of the  kingdom of God, that are to be saved at the second coming of Jesus. The same resurrection has been prophesied by John the Revelator in the following words:

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” – Revelation 20 : 6. (The more precise translation from the Bible of King James version).

The words,“Blessed and holy is he” mentioned above is addressed to only those who have died in Christ, beginning from Adam the first ancestor of men up to all the people of God who died at 1844.

The Second Resurrection

Those who failed to get a part in the first general resurrection prophesied in the Revelation 20 : 6, would be categorized as the people who failed the salvation. This could be proven from the following quotations:

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season.

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands: and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

“Butthe rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.This is the first resurrection.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” – Revelation 20 : 1 – 6.(The more precise translation from the Bible of King James version).

Those outlined by John in the Revelation 20, is the very big event to take place during the one thousand years millennium, from the second coming of Jesus. During the one thousand years, those saints who have come up in the first resurrection and then brought to heaven, will be sitting together with Jesus in judgment to try the Devil, who are as if being chained on earth, while all the wicked his followers are still in the graves.

It is important to know that the judgment in the heavenly sanctuary which began in 1844, first to judge the cases of the dead who are in the graves, and then to judge the cases of the living. The main objective of the two previous sessions of the judgment is to get the sanctuary as the house of God be purified, both here on earth and in heaven. Therefore both of the judgments only to be tasked to put away the sins and the sinners out of the books of life in the heavenly sanctuary, as well as to slay all the living sinners who are crowding the Church on earth at this time.

Thus it is clearly understood, that the coming judgment during the one thousand years millennium ever since the second coming of Jesus, is only to be tasked to mete out the burden of punishment that shall be put to every individual according to the size of their personal transgression of the law.  The Devil and all his angels will be arraigned here. John the Revelator further said:

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” – Revelation 20 : 5, 6.

That is, all the rest of the dead who have not as yet been resurrected in the first resurrection would be inevitably awakened in the second resurrection, which is to take place after the one thousand years of millennium. And after that they would again suffer the second death, which is the death penalty of the wicked, from which there is no more resurrection for ever and ever. Sister White said:

“At the first resurrection all come forth in immortal bloom, but at the second, the marks of the curse are visible upon all. All come up as they went down into their graves. Those who lived before the flood, come forth with their giant-like stature, more than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth, and well proportioned. The generations after the flood were less in stature.” – 3 Spiritual Gifts, p. 84.

Special Resurrection for the people of God

 Of the time of the end

(Daniel 12 : 2)

From the prophetic words of Daniel we read:

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” –Daniel 12 : 1, 2.

The resurrection of the dead mentioned above will follow a troublous time, which is the time of Jacob trouble that is to befall the 144.000 Jacobites prior to their way back to the mount Zion in Palestine. Sister White in her explanation on the two verses of the Daniel chapter 12, said:

“It was at midnight that God chose to deliver His people. As the wicked were mocking around them, suddenly the sun appeared, shining in his strength, and the moon stood still. The wicked looked upon the scene with amazement, while the saints beheld with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Signs and wonders followed in quick succession. Everything seemed turned out of its natural course. The streams ceased to flow. Dark, heavy clouds came up and clashed against each other. But there was one clear place of settled glory, whence came the voice of God like many waters, shaking the havens and the earth. There was a mighty earthquake. The graves were opened, and those who had died in faith under the third angel’s message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from their dusty beds, glorified, to hear the covenant of peace that God was to make with those who had kept His law.” –Early Writings, p. 285.

“Graves are opened, and “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth……… awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12 : 2. All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. “They also which pierced Him” (Revelation 1 : 7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.” –The Great Controversy, p. 637.

Differ from the afore deliberated resurrections above, this resurrection of Daniel 12 : 2 is a mixed resurrection. The just and the wicked will be resurrected together at the same time. And this resurrection seems to be especially provided for the people of the Laodicean Church of the Seventh-Day Adventists, with some exceptions for those wicked ones of the time of Jesus, who have ever pierced Him to death, and mocked and derided Him during His dying agony, in the year 31, and also to them who ever violently opposed His Truth and His people. Due to the importance of the resurrection for our own destiny in this time of the end, we are therefore to know exactly when the mixed resurrection is to occur.  Let us again turn to the statements given us by the servant of the Lord in her book The Early Writings, p. 285.

As soon as the 144.000 Jacobites are freed from their ordeal in the time of trouble, they then are brought away to the Palestine. And at the same time the graves of the dead will be opened, and then the prophecy on the special resurrection of the dead will soon be materialized.

The benefit from the special resurrection for us?

Since all the Laodiceans, both of those five wise virgins and of those five foolish virgins, will be together resurrected in the coming special resurrection, hence the resurrection is exactly true to be also called by the name the mixed resurrection. In regard to this resurrection Brother Houteff said:

“Here we see that the wise are those who take extra oil, extra Truth that lightens the rest of their way. Finally, it plainly appears that this mixed resurrection is a test; that is, they are all given the opportunity to be wise, to turn many to righteousness, but only a part of them do so. Some of them again fall into sin, and therefore they awake to shame and everlasting contempt (everlasting disobedience), but the wise awake to everlasting life, never again to die. This plainly shows that those who give themselves to wickedness up to the time they die, would not turn to righteousness even though they be given a second chance. The extra oil (Truth for this time) is what decides each one’s destiny. The wise shall embrace the “additional Truth,” while the foolish will not. Sin is indeed a mystery!” – The Timely Greetings, vol. 2, no. 7, p. 15.

The additional truth means the new light of the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1, which has been united with the message of the Spirit of Prophecy by Sister White, to become the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY of Revelation 19 : 10 margins. Differ from the first and the second general resurrections, we all in this special and mixed resurrection, are to be given a chance to be wise, to turn us to the truth. However, this chance will be    given to only those who up to the time they die they never before have been found implicated in a sin against the Holy Spirit. That means, up to the time they die they never before rejected any message presented them from the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. Maybe due to only a personal limit of mental capacity or some other limitations, that cause failures to live up to the message fully, then in the coming resurrection they would be able to be made more wise than ever before.  Sister White further said:

“Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little while we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall, in the kingdom of God. Take up our work once more.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 17.

This means, that together with Sister White and Brother Houteff., and even with all other pioneers of the Laodicean Church we all will be called to awaken in the kingdom in Palestine. There we will be made fully prepared to be wise, as wise as the 144.000 wise virgins themselves. Revelation 14 : 1, 4. And then we will take up our work once more to join the 144.000 elects of God to proclaim the message unto the entire world up to the close of probation.

The resurrection of

the prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 37

Let us first read together the Bible into the book of Ezekiel chapter 37, and then follow carefully the clarifications here below. 

The article of Ezekiel chapter 37 is a prophecy. As well as the other books of prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation and the prophetic books   of the other old Testament prophets, have now been interpreted in this time of the end, the interpretation of the prophecy of Ezekiel should have been found in the Spirit of Prophecy of Sister White and in the Shepherd’s Rod of Brother Victor T. Houteff.  In the meantime we also need to know that the Ezekiel chapter 37 has in fact contained two things: First, the process of the resurrection itself from the condition of the dead up to their standing again on earth. Secondly, the spiritual condition of the twelve tribes of the Israelites at the time when this prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 37 revealed to them. Let us follow here below how the servants of God revealed them in this time of the end. 

Sister Ellen G. White in turn gave his following statements:

“At one time the prophet Ezekiel was in vision set down in the midst of a large valley. Before him lay a dismal scene. Throughout its whole extent the valley was covered with the bones of the dead. The question was asked, “Son of man, can these bones live?” The prophet replied, “O Lord God, Thou knowest.” What could the might and power of man accomplish with these dead bones? The prophet could see no hope of life being imparted to them. But as he looked, the power of God began to work. The scattered bones were shaken, and began to come together, “bone to his bone,” and were bound together by sinews. They were covered with flesh, and as the Lord breathed upon the bodies thus formed, “the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, and exceeding great army” (MS 85, 1903).

“The souls of those whom we desire to save are like the representation which Ezekiel saw in vision, a valley of dry bones. They are dead in trespasses and sins, but God would have us deal with them as though they were living. Were the question put to us, “Son of man, can these bones live?” our answer would be only the confession of ignorance, “O Lord, Thou knowest.” To all appearance there is nothing to lead us to hope for their restoration. Yet nevertheless the word of the prophecy must be spoken even to those who are like the dry bones in the valley. We are in no wise to be deterred from fulfilling our commission by the listlessness, the dullness, the lack of spiritual perception, in those upon whom the Word of God is brought to bear. We are to preach the word of life to those whom we may judge to be as hopeless subjects as though they were in their graves.

“Though they may seem unwilling to hear or to receive the light of truth, without questioning or wavering we are to do our part. We are to repeat to them the message, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light.”

“It is not the human agent that is to inspire with life. The Lord God of

Israel will do that part, quickening the lifeless spiritual nature into activity. The breath of the Lord of hosts must enter into the lifeless bodies. In the judgment, when all secrets are laid bare, it will be known that the voice of God spoke through the human agent, and aroused the torpid conscience, and stirred the lifeless faculties, and moved sinners to repentance and contrition, and forsaking of sins. It will them be clearly seen that through the human agent faith in Jesus Christ was imparted to the soul, and spiritual life from heaven was breathed upon one who was dead in trespasses and sins, and he was quickened with spiritual life.

“But not only does this simile of the dry bones apply to the world, but also to those who have been blessed with great light; for they also are like the skeletons of the valley. They have the form of men, the framework of the body; but they have not spiritual life. But the parable does not leave the dry bones merely knit together into the forms of men; for it is not enough that there is symmetry of limb and feature. The breath of life must vivify the bodies that they may stand upright, and spring into activity.  These bones represent the house of Israel, the church of God, and the hope of the church is the vivifying influence of the Holy Spirit. The Lord must breathe upon the dry bones, that they may live.

“The Spirit of God, with its vivifying power, must be in every human agent, that every spiritual muscle and sinew may be in exercise. Without the Holy Spirit, without the breath of God, there is torpidity of conscience, loss of spiritual life. Many who are without spiritual life have their names on the church records, but they are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. They may be joined to the church, but they are not united to the Lord. They may be diligent in the performance of a certain set of duties, and may be regarded as living men’; but many are among those who have “a name that thou livest and art dead.”

“Unless there is genuine conversion of the soul to God; unless the vital breath of God quickens the soul to spiritual life; unless the professors of truth are actuated by heaven-born of principle, they are not born of the incorruptible seed which liveth and abideth forever. Unless they trust in the righteousness of Christ as their only security; unless they copy His character, labor in His spirit, they are naked; they have not on the robe of His righteousness. The dead are often made to pass for the living; for those who are working out what they term salvation after their own ideas, have not God working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure.

“This class is well represented by the valley of dry bones Ezekiel saw in vision. (Review & Herald, Jan. 17, 1893) Quoted from Ellen G. White Bible Commentary, vol. 7 – A, pp. 175, 176.

“I lay down my pen and lift up my soul in prayer, that the Lord would breathe upon His backslidden people, who are as dry bones, that they may live. The end is near, stealing upon us so stealthily, so imperceptibly, so noiselessly, like the muffled tread of the thief in the night, to surprise the sleepers off guard and unready. May the Lord grant to bring His Holy Spirit upon hearts that are now at ease that they may no longer sleep as do others, but watch and be sober.– General Conference Bulletin, 1893, pp. 132, 133. (Christian Service, p. 41)

Brother Victor T. Houteff in turn gave his following statements:

“In this resurrection only God’s own people, Israel, arise with no sinner among them. Moreover, these do not meet the Lord in the air; they are taken to the land of Israel, Palestine. This resurrection, therefore, is not the same as the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians, of the Revelation, or of Daniel 12. It must be a separate one.” –Timely Greetings, vol. 2, No. 7, p. 13.

Due to the fact that Brother Houteff himself has confirmed that the only source of the message of the Shepherd’s Rod is found in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, Fundamental Beliefs, p. 26, therefore the source of the above statement(The Timely Greetings, vol. 2, No. 7 p. 13)is to be found in the Bible, in Ezekiel chapter 37, and in the Spirit of Prophecy of Review & Herald, January 17, 1893 and in The General Conference Bulletin 1893.

Since the resurrection of Ezekiel chapter 37 is not the same as the resurrection of 1 Thessalonians, and of the Revelation chapter 20, verse 6, and of Daniel chapter 12 verse 2, it therefore must represent the spiritual resurrection of the 144.000 Israelites in the time of the end, who have no guile in their mouths, because they are without fault in the sight of God. This is the only separate resurrection mentioned by Brother Houteff in the above statement. These are they who are to be brought to Palestine to stand with Jesus on the mount Zion to meet the fulfillment of the Revelation 14 : 1.

Now it is transparently clear that it is the spiritual condition of our own Church in this time of the end, which has been prophesied in the Ezekiel chapter 37. At the time when the message of the angel of Revelation 18 : 1 by Houteff has united with the third angel message by Sister White, to become the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, that have enlightened the earth with its glory, just at the same time when the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY the first time found us in 1929, the prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 37 began to lay open our spiritual condition up to this day. 

CONCLUSION

“Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.”– Review and Herald, March 9, 1905.

For God has given His only begotten Son to die for us, so then  instead of Adam to bear himself his eternal death penalty, he is in reality  has been saved by the grace of God to live longer to 930 years on earth.  During the long extended period of time he has been given the chance to improve his faith in the Lord by obeying the Law of the Ten Commandments according to all its rules of implementation available in his time. It is proven later that Adam and Eve have obeyed the Lord, they have taken advantage of their long extended time of probation, that they also at last will be called to life again in the first general resurrection of Revelation 20 : 6.

By the same grace of God we have been given the chance to live longer up to this moment. Every minute is as  precious as time for everyone of us to improve our faith in the Lord, by obeying His Law according to the rules of implementations provided in the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. Although the truths of the word of God have been so much adulterated in our churches, the way is still open for every one of us to get the SPIRIT OF PROPHECY free of charge. To that end, let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the one hundred and forty-four thousand, who will no more taste death on this earth of sin.

Dear Readers, since not all of us would be chosen to be among the 144.000, there must be many yet among us that must experience the death on the earth. However, let us also strive with all the power that God has given us to come to the termination of our lives in the status of the wise virgins. Those categorized as the wise virgins in the Church today, they will have also the citizenship status of the kingdom of God. Those who died in this status will be resurrected in the Special Resurrection of Daniel 12 : 2. This is the only mixed resurrection that is to occur in the near future, before the close of probation for the world, and prior to the second coming of Jesus. “Your work, my work, will not cease with this life. For a little while we may rest in the grave, but, when the call comes, we shall, in the kingdom of God, take up our work once more.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 17.

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