Doctrinal Study Paper

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Doctrinal Study Paper

T he doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is fundamental to our understanding of

Jesus Christ, His Church, and His plan for every human being since the beginning
of mankind. This doctrine is one of the “elementary principles of Christ” listed in
Hebrews 6:1-2:

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go

on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” (emphasis throughout).1

This teaching is fundamental and one of the first things that a Christian should be
taught.

Eternal life, through the resurrection is the hope of all mankind (Titus 1:2). Yet
there is an order in which all the dead will be resurrected. The apostle Paul states in 1
Corinthians 15:22-24, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His
coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He
puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.”

Christ was the first to be resurrected to eternal life, but all who have lived will be
resurrected in a certain order. Each resurrection is different and unique. Each has its own
characteristics. We’ll begin by looking at the most important resurrection that ever has or
will occur—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the only one who has been resurrected from the dead to eternal life.
As the following scriptures show, no one else has been resurrected to everlasting life--not
Moses, Abraham, David, Elijah, Peter, Paul or anyone else.

Acts 26:22: “Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand,
witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the
prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would
be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and
to the Gentiles.”

Colossians 1:18: “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.”

1
Paul, the author of Hebrews, didn’t want to go over these things “again,” meaning that they had already
reviewed the six elementary principles of Christ that are listed.
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Revelation 1:5: “And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the
dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us
from our sins in His own blood.”

But how can Jesus be “the first to rise from the dead”? What about those in the Old
Testament that God resurrected during the time of Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17:17-23; 2
Kings 4:32-37; 13:21)? How about those in the New Testament that Christ resurrected
during His ministry (Luke 7:12-15; 8:49-55; John 11:43-44)?

All of these individuals, as the following scriptures show, were only resurrected to
a completion of their physical lives. Their lives were only extended a number of years, and
since they were mortal, they eventually died.

John 3:13: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven,
that is, the Son of man who is in heaven.”

1 Corinthians 15:20: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the
firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

1 Corinthians 15:22-23: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made
alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are
Christ’s at His coming.”

Hebrews 11:39: “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith,
did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should
not be made perfect apart from us.”

Therefore, Jesus Christ is “the first to rise from the dead” as an immortal spirit
being. No one else has been resurrected to eternal life.

Regarding the term “firstfruits” that refers to Christ’s resurrection in 1 Corinthians

15:20-23, the Greek word is aparche, which Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical
Words defines as:

“Primarily, ‘an offering of firstfruits’ (akin to aparchomai, ‘to make a beginning’;

in sacrifices, ‘to offer firstfruits’). ‘Though the English word is plural in each of its
occurrences save Rom. 11:16, the Greek word is always singular. Two Hebrew
words are thus translated, one meaning the ‘chief’ or ‘principal part,’ e.g., Num.
18:12; Prov. 3:9; the other, ‘the earliest ripe of the crop or of the tree,’ e.g., Ex.
23:16; Neh. 10:35; they are found together, e.g., in Ex. 23:19, ‘the first of the
firstfruits.’”2

A firstfruit indicates that which is first in order or first in importance. For Christ,
both applications apply. The resurrection of Jesus Christ makes it possible for others to be

2
Vine, W.E., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985).
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included in the firstfruit harvest “at His coming” (1 Corinthians 15:23).3 The resurrection
of human beings that are part of the firstfruit harvest is called in Revelation 20:6, “the first
resurrection.”

The First Resurrection

The expression “first resurrection” proves that there has to be at least one more
resurrection. You can’t say “first” if it is the only one. One would then only say “the
resurrection.”

The first resurrection will be comprised of those who have died in the faith and
those who are physically alive in the faith at Christ’s return. There are several descriptive
passages of this resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:23: “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits,
afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.”

Philippians 3:8-11: “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having
my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in
Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the
power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to
His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Philippians 3:20-21: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly
wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it
may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is
able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

Hebrews 11:32-35: “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell
of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the
prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the
edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle,
turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life
again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a
better resurrection.”

Revelation 20:4-6: “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was
committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their
witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his

3
Regarding the term ‘order,’ Robertson’s Word Pictures mentions: “An old military term from tasso, to
arrange, only here in N.T. Each in his own division, troop, rank” (note on 1 Corinthians 15:23). So the
dead will arise in accordance with the group assigned by God.
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image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And
they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did
not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second
death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign
with Him a thousand years.”

Revelation 20:4-6 is a key passage from which several questions may arise due to
the writing style of John. Some of these questions will be addressed in the following
paragraphs.

Will the saints rule for only “a thousand years”? Though “a thousand years” is only
mentioned here, this passage should be understood in light of all the scriptures concerning
the reign of the saints. Those in the first resurrection will reign with Christ forever (Daniel
12:3; Revelation 22:5, et. al.). Therefore the reference to a “thousand years” does not limit
the reign of the saints to that time period. The “thousand years” are part of a greater
whole—eternity.

Who are the saints that will be seated on the thrones in Revelation 20:4 (i.e. “they
sat on [the thrones] and judgment was committed to them”)? The identity of “they” and
“them” is not easily detected in the grammar. Three options are considered below.

1. Are these saints, exclusively, those martyred in the end time by the beast power,
i.e. “those who had been beheaded”? Grammatically speaking, the martyrs
could be the subject of “they” and “them.”

The verse begins with, “And I saw” those seated on thrones. The next statement
says, “Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded...” However, this
second “I saw” is not in the Greek, as noted in some translations. The omission
of this phrase could better identify these martyrs with those seated on thrones in
the beginning of the verse. Notice The Interlinear KJV-NIV:

“And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto
them and the souls of the [ones] having been beheaded because of the witness
of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who did not worship the beast...”
(Alfred Marshall, Zondervan, 1975).

Additionally, the expression, “and [kai] the souls of the [ones] having been
beheaded,” could be rendered differently. The Greek word kai is translated
differently, e.g. “and, even, indeed, then, but, also,” etc., according to the
context in which it is used. Therefore, a possible reading of this verse is, “...I
saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them,
even the souls of the [ones] having been beheaded...”

2. Does another group of saints join the martyrs upon the thrones of Revelation
20:4? The grammar can allow for an additional group of firstfruits—“and who
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[kai hoitines] did not worship the beast...” (Interlinear). The Greek hoitines is
the plural for hostis, meaning “anyone who, whoever, everyone who,” etc. So a
possible rendering is “. . . even the souls of them that were beheaded... and
everyone who did not worship the beast...”

This clause (kai hoitines) is discussed in Expositor’s Bible Commentary: “It

could simply introduce a further qualifying phrase to the identification of the
martyrs... But it may also be understood to introduce a second group... This
immediately alleviates a thorny problem, i.e., why only the martyrs should live
and reign with Christ” (Zondervan Publishing House, 1992). Expositor’s also
notes that this could be a second group of martyrs. Nevertheless, the grammar
could include a second group of firstfruits, who had not been martyred, seated
upon the thrones.

3. Lastly, does Revelation 20:4 include all the saints who have ever lived? This
conclusion is according to the harmony of all the related scriptures, not just the
grammar in this verse. Consequently, this would remove the “thorny problem”
of excluding most of the firstfruits from the thrones in Revelation 20:4.

The first two options considered fit the symbolic theme of John’s vision, without
necessarily excluding the rest of the saints in the first resurrection. The scriptures lead to
the conclusion that all the saints in the first resurrection will be seated on the thrones of
Revelation 20:4. All saints will be resurrected together and will rule during the
Millennium, regardless of whether they were martyred by the Beast or not. The saints in
Revelation 20:4 should be identified in light of all the scriptures pertaining to this
resurrection.

Expositor’s Bible Commentary has this to say on Revelation 20:4: “A more

difficult question concerns the identity of those who will rule with Christ. They
are the ‘beheaded’...martyrs who have previously occupied John’s
attention...who did not worship the beast or his image...But this presents a
problem because John has elsewhere indicated that the kingdom reign will be
shared by every believer who overcomes (2:26-28; 3:12, 21)...Also, in 1
Corinthians 6:2-3, Paul clearly speaks of all believers—not just
martyrs—exercising judgment in the future...Unless only those beheaded by the
beast will reign in the Millennium, another explanation is demanded. The
pastoral approach would explain John’s reference to only the martyrs as a piece
of special encouragement to them, while not implying that others would be left
out... the martyrs represent the whole church that is faithful to Jesus
whether or not they have actually been killed...As such, the term is a
synonym for overcomers (chs. 2-3). Thus John could count himself in this
group, though he may never have suffered death by the axe of the beast…In
fact, a number also of the other promises to overcomers in the letters to the
seven churches find their fulfillment in chapter 20.”

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Another scripture mentions the saints will “judge the world” and “shall judge
angels” (1 Corinthians 6:1-3). Therefore, the primary focus of judgment in the Millennium,
with and under God, will be upon the saints, not the angels.

Now we’ll consider the chronology of events in the next verse, Revelation 20:5,
“...the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the
first resurrection.” This verse can be misinterpreted because the “thousand years” are
mentioned before the “first resurrection,” as if the Millennium occurs before the first
resurrection. However, other translations, such as the New Revised Standard Version and
the New International Version, enclose the first sentence in parentheses, e.g. “(The rest of
the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first
resurrection.” Consequently, the parenthetical statement would not be part of the strict
chronology of this verse. Understanding John’s writing style can help clear up the
chronology here.4

The New Living Translation places the parenthetical statement at the end of the
verse—“This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until
the thousand years had ended.)” This type of rendering better reflects the chronology from
all the scriptures concerning the first resurrection and the Millennium.

As with verse 4 discussed earlier, verse 5 should not be interpreted independently

of the rest of the Bible, which reveals that the first resurrection will actually occur before
the thousand-year period. Verse 6 says that those in the first resurrection “shall reign with
Him a thousand years,” meaning that they will be resurrected before the thousand-year
period. Additional scriptures concerning the first resurrection are below.

Matthew 19:28: “So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the
regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have
followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’”

Matthew 24:31: “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and
they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to
the other.”

Luke 20:34-36: “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those
who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead,
neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are
equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.’”

Revelation 2:11: “He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches [plural]. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”

4
John also used this method of summarizing events in John 19:14, “Now it was the Preparation Day of the
Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’” It was about 6 a.m.,
according to the Roman time used in John’s gospel, when the official court hearings of Christ began,
culminating in Pilate’s statement three hours later. In Darby’s Translation, the first sentence in John 19:14 is
enclosed within parentheses.
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Revelation 2:26-27: “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to
him I will give power over the nations—‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—as I also have received
from My Father.”

Revelation 5:10: “And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall
reign on the earth.”

The “sons of the [first] resurrection” will be like angels—they will not marry and
they will not die anymore. When the “thousand years are finished” the rest of the dead will
be resurrected. And they will have the potential of either inheriting eternal life or dying a
second death.

Summary: Characteristics of the First Resurrection

1. It takes place at the second coming of Christ, at the sound of the seventh
trumpet.
2. It is a resurrection to immortality.
3. Physical bodies will be changed to spirit.
4. Only the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are alive at His coming are in
the first resurrection.
5. The second death has no power over those in the first resurrection.
6. Those in this resurrection are called the “firstfruits” (Romans 8:23; James 1:18;
Revelation 14:4).

The Second Resurrection

What about those who never had the opportunity to hear the truth? They clearly are
not part of the first resurrection since they are not “in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The Bible states, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under
heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). But are those who
have never heard of Jesus then lost for all of eternity? The following scriptures explain
many will be resurrected to a physical life after the thousand year period is over and
receive an opportunity to not only hear of Christ but to understand His message.

Revelation 20:7-12: “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be
released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four
corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose
number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and
surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from
God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into
the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they
will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne
and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And
there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing
before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the
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Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things
which were written in the books.”

Revelation 20:12 says that the “Book of Life” is opened—not the book of death.
What is written in the Book of life? Other scriptures help fill in the answer.

Luke 10:20: “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you,
but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Philippians 4:3: “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who
labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow
workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”

Revelation 3:5: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will
not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My
father and before His angels.”

Revelation 13:8: “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have
not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world.”

Revelation 21:27: “But there shall be no means enter it anything that defiles, or
causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book
of Life.”

The apostle Paul addressed the question of those who lived and died, but never had
a chance to learn the truth of God, repent, receive the Holy Spirit and have an opportunity
for salvation. In the verses below, Paul explains that physical Israel was blinded spiritually
and never had an opportunity to receive salvation.

Romans 11:1-2, 5, 7, 11, 25-26, 30-31: “I say then, has God cast away His people?
Certainly not!...God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew...Even so
then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of
grace...What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained
it, and the rest were blinded . . . I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall?
Certainly not!...For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this
mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has
happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel
will be saved...For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained
mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient,
that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.”

We should understand that while Paul’s focus is on Israel, the same principles
apply to all of mankind, as God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Paul then repeats
his question in different words: “I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall?
Certainly not!” (Romans 11:11). Paul then concludes by stating: “And so all Israel will be
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saved” (Romans 11:26). Truly, God has revealed a wonderful plan whereby He will have
mercy on all, including those who have lived at one time but never had an opportunity for
salvation (Romans 11:28-36).

Those resurrected after the Millennium will then have a chance for their names to
be written in the Book of Life that is opened to them, representing eternal life. But will this
be a second chance? No, it isn’t. This will be their first opportunity to learn who God is
and what His message was all about.

They will be drawn to Christ for the first time. The giving of the Holy Spirit only
occurs once. John 6:44 says: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me
draws him...” It should then be clearly understood that this is not a second opportunity for
salvation. While those in this resurrection will have a second mortal life, it will be their
first opportunity for salvation.

The second resurrection is reserved for those who never knowingly rejected God’s
offer to receive the Holy Spirit and endure to the end. Unlike the first resurrection, the
second resurrection will be to a physical existence. Therefore, these will have an
opportunity to inherit eternal life during the period following the Millennium, since
“…flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 15:50). This
resurrection will result in their first opportunity to become inheritors of God’s Kingdom.

A vivid description of the second resurrection to a physical existence is found in

Ezekiel 37 regarding the Old Testament Israelites:

Ezekiel 37:5-6, 9-14: “‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall
live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put
breath in you; and you shall live...and breathe on these slain, that they may
live’...And breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an
exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the
whole house of Israel...Then you shall know that I am the LORD , when I have
opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put
My Spirit in you, and you shall live...’”

The “whole house of Israel” (verse 11) will be resurrected to a physical existence
because God never offered them an opportunity to receive His Spirit within their minds
and hearts, toward eternal salvation. As the following scriptures show, God’s dwelling was
within their midst but not within their minds.

Deuteronomy 5:29: “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me
and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with
their children forever!”

Deuteronomy 29:4: “Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes
to see and ears to hear, to this very day.”

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Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will
take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

This prophecy has not yet been fulfilled. God did not place His Spirit within Old
Testament Israel, except for the few prophets and righteous men and women identified in
the Bible. When this prophecy is fulfilled, God will give all people a new heart and a new
spirit, which will enable them to keep His commandments.

This will be the first time that they will be given an opportunity to receive God’s
Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27). And if these physical human beings remain loyal to God during
this judgment period, they will not experience the second death, from which there is no
resurrection. These verses refute the erroneous assumption that God is trying to save the
whole world before Jesus returns.

The gentiles who never received God’s Spirit will also be resurrected to a physical
existence again. This will be a period of “judgment” when their ultimate fate will depend
upon their response to God’s calling.

In this regard, understanding the Greek words for “judgment” can be helpful when
studying the different resurrections. Krisis, used in John 5:29, refers to “the process of
investigation” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words; Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1985). Krisis is often held in contrast to krima, which refers to “the sentence
pronounced, a verdict, a condemnation, the decision resulting from an investigation”
(Vine’s).

A resurrection to “judgment” (krisis) is not necessarily a resurrection to

“condemnation.” Most of mankind will be resurrected to a future time period of judgment
or “process of investigation.” This process can lead to eternal life or to condemnation. In
John 5:29, “judgment” is a better rendering of the krisis, as noted in other translations (e.g.
the New American Standard Bible, the Revised Standard Version, and the New Living
Translation).

Hebrews 9:27 states: “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the
judgment [krisis].”

So all of mankind will experience a judgment of some kind, but this doesn’t mean
condemnation for everyone. Being “unjust” before the return of Christ doesn’t necessarily
mean that one will die in the lake of fire. Billions of people who have done evil, but were
never called by God, will be resurrected to a process of investigation. Below are a few
examples.

Matthew 10:15: “Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of
Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment [krisis] than for that city!”

Few, if any, cities have done more evil than Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus was not
saying that certain portions of the lake of fire are “more tolerable” than others.
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Nevertheless, it will be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment because during this
period of time many will repent and will marvel that others did not previously listen to
Christ in the flesh.

Matthew 12:41-42: “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment [krisis] with
this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the
judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the
earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”

The men of Nineveh and the queen of Sheba will be resurrected (“rise up”) at the
same time as the Jews who lived during the time of Christ (“with this generation”). These
gentiles will speak against those who rejected Christ while He was in the flesh. Obviously,
if all in the second resurrection were immediately condemned to the lake of fire, then this
contrast would be meaningless as it would not be “more tolerable” for anyone. God’s Spirit
will be offered to those in the second resurrection (Ezekiel 36:26-28).

When Christ returns, God will offer His Spirit to “all flesh” during the Millennium
(Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17). And He will continue to offer His Spirit during the time period of
the second resurrection to those who were never given “eyes to see and ears to hear” (e.g.
Old Testament Israel, Sodom, Gomorrah and billions of others).

How long will this second resurrection last? There is one possible mention of its
duration in Isaiah 65:17-25.

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be
remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for
behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in
Jerusalem, and joy in My people; the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in
her, nor the voice of crying. No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,
nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred
years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall
build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They
shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for as the
days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy the
work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth children for
trouble; for they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the L ORD , and their
offspring with them. It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and
while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall
not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, says the LORD.”

This scripture has been associated with the time period for the Great White Throne
Judgment which is referenced in Revelation 20. However, it has not been clear whether
the “one hundred years” denotes only the total time span of the Great White Throne
Judgment or a subset of the Millennium. The Church has taught, but cannot be dogmatic
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due to the limited evidence available, that this will be a total of one hundred years. There
are different alternatives for interpreting this verse, while maintaining the teaching of three
resurrections.

1. The Great White Throne Judgment will last for 100 years. The Church has
taught that this will be a testing period of one hundred years, during which
billions of children and adults would have an opportunity to become converted
and inherit eternal life. Therefore the death of the “sinner being one hundred
years old” has been considered to be the second death. God certainly could do
things this way if He so chooses.

2. Life spans will exceed 100 years during the Great White Throne Judgment. This
verse certainly conveys a time of longevity, though not necessarily an exact
“one hundred years.” Isaiah 65:20 says, “No more shall an infant [ uwl,
‘suckling’] from there live but a few days…For the child [naar, ‘young, youth,
young man’] shall die one hundred years old” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon,
Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995). This would describe pre-Flood-type
conditions where 100 years are a small portion of one’s life. If so, then those
who are only 100 years old will be considered a “child, youth” or “young man”
at 100 years old. And to die at this age would be analogous to a premature
death.

3. Isaiah 65:20 describes a time during the Millennium. If so, then this would
provide plenty of time for the pre-Flood-type extended life spans. Under this
scenario, one might expect the same type of life spans during the Great White
Throne Judgment time period.

Billions of people will be offered God’s Spirit for the first time, giving them “eyes
to see and ears to hear” God’s written Word—“books were opened” (see references in
Daniel 7:10; 9:2). They will be judged according to how they then live, “by the things
which were written in the books,” God’s written word (Hebrews 4:12-13). Consequently,
people in this resurrection will have their first opportunity to have their names written in
the Book of Life, which will be “opened” for this purpose. Sadly, some will reject their one
and only opportunity.

Summary: Characteristics of the Second Resurrection

1. It does not take place until after the 1,000 years are over.
2. It is a resurrection to mortal life.
3. God will give those in this resurrection the opportunity to receive the Holy
Spirit and receive eternal life.
4. Though they will have a second mortal life, they will have their first
opportunity for salvation.

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The Third Resurrection

The first resurrection is comprised of the firstfruit saints from the time of Adam
and Eve to the return of Jesus Christ. The second resurrection is for those who were never
“drawn by the Father,” therefore they were never offered an opportunity to inherit eternal
life. There’s only one group of people left to be resurrected—those who utterly rejected
God’s offer to inherit eternal life. Since it occurs after the second resurrection, it can
properly be called the third resurrection.

Revelation 20:13: “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades
delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according
to his works.”

Revelation 20:13 records the resurrection of a different group of people than those
in the second resurrection, who will have already been resurrected and “judged” according
to their works (verse 12). The Book of Life is not “opened” to those in verse 13. Neither
will books (plural) be “opened” again for them because they will have already totally
rejected the instruction in these books. Therefore, they will be judged according to their
unrepentant works. The dead of verse 13 are described as emerging from the sea and from
earthly graves. Of course, those in the second resurrection, described in the previous verse,
will also be resurrected from wherever they died, land or sea. But verse 13 describes the
beginning of the complete emptying of the land, sea and death itself.5

Revelation 20:14-15: “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is
the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into
the lake of fire.”

Here John describes two inanimate objects—Death and Hades—as being cast into
the lake of fire, signifying the termination of the grave (a holding place of inactivity,
Ecclesiastes 9:10), as well as the destruction of death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26).

Scripture reveals all of mankind must appear before Christ to give an account. This
applies to the wicked as well. They must appear before Christ to receive their final
sentence, which is eternal death.

Matthew 25:31-32, 46: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy
angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All nations will be
gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd
divides his sheep from the goats... And these will go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

5
A different reading of verse 13 places it as a continuation of verse 12 and the second resurrection.
Consequently, the third resurrection would begin in verse 14. Though the evidence for this reading of the
passage is less convincing, it nevertheless upholds the existence of three resurrections.
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John 5:21-29: “For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the
Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all
judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He
who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most
assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me
has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death
into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the
dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the
Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and
has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will
hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of
life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Daniel 12:2: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Malachi 4:1-3: “‘For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the
proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall
burn them up,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that will leave them neither root nor
branch. But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with
healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You
shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the
day that I do this,’ says the LORD of hosts.”

Acts 24:14-15: “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they
call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are
written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves
also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the
unjust.”

Romans 14:10: “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that
each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done,
whether good or bad.”

2 Peter 3:9-12: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count
slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that
all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will
melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought
you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of
the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and
the elements will melt with fervent heat?”
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As a review, the first resurrection is reserved for firstfruit Christians who endure to
the end. The second resurrection is for those yet to be offered an opportunity for eternal
life. The only people who are not accounted for in the first and second resurrections are
those who utterly rejected God’s offer of salvation while they were alive. The third
resurrection is reserved for these individuals. What are some of its conditions?

Hebrews 6:4-6: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened . . . and
have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God
and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to
repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to
an open shame.”

Hebrews 10:26-27: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful
expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”

These verses tell us that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ no longer remains for those
who refuse to repent—willful sinners. In this context, “willful” sinning reflects an attitude
that is beyond repentance—an attitude that doesn’t want to repent. When a person’s
attitude is beyond repentance, he commits the unpardonable sin because forgiveness
requires repentance. The Bible refers to deliberate, willful rejection of the work of God as
“blasphemy against the Spirit” (Matthew 12:31-32). There will not be a second opportunity
for the willfully unrepentant. The only thing that remains is a “fearful expectation of
judgment, and fiery indignation” in the lake of fire.

The unpardonable sin results in a “worse punishment” than the death penalty of the
Old Testament (Hebrews 2:1-3; 10:28-29). What can be worse than this? The second death
from which there is no resurrection. Those who reject God’s Spirit and “insult the Spirit of
grace” (Hebrews 10:29) before Christ returns, will not have a second opportunity to do so
in the second resurrection. Peter discusses the results of blatantly rejecting God.

2 Peter 2:9: “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to
reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment [krisis].”

Those described in 2 Peter 2:9 have already rejected God’s Spirit—“denying the
Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction” (verse 1), “because of
whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (verse 2), “carousing in their own deceptions
while they feast with you” (verse 13). “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
in them and overcome... it would have been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness...” (verses 20-21).

God has begun a process of judgment leading to a final verdict for those He has
now given the Holy Spirit. 1 Peter 4:17 states, “For the time has come for judgment
(krima) to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of
those [in the house of God] who do not obey the gospel of God?”
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One might think that krisis would have been used in 1 Peter 4:17 but krima can also
denote the “process of judgment leading to a decision” (Vine’s). Depending upon the
context, both krisis and krima can denote a “process” and be “virtually equivalent”
(Vine’s). We see in 1 Peter 4:17 a warning about the potential verdict for those in God’s
Church, “who do not obey the gospel.”

So the third resurrection leads into a different kind of judgment. It will not be a
lengthy process of judgment covering the span of a lifetime.

2 Peter 3:7: “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same
word are reserved for fire until the day of judgment [krisis] and perdition of
ungodly men.”

2 Peter 3:12-13: “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because
of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt
with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new
heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Most of mankind has not yet entered a judgment leading to a final decision
regarding eternal life or condemnation. Ultimately, God is going to make an eternal
decision concerning every human being that has ever lived. Part of the “elementary
principles of Christ” listed in Hebrews 6:1-2 is “eternal judgment [krima].”

Summary: Characteristics of the Third Resurrection

1. It is a resurrection to death.
2. The unrepentant wicked are in this resurrection and they will be burned up.
3. This is the second death.

Everyone who has ever lived will experience a judgment process. Some will inherit
eternal life in the first resurrection, “at His coming.” Then “after the thousand years are
finished,” most of the unjust since the time of Adam and Eve will be in the second
resurrection and receive their first opportunity to inherit eternal life. Lastly, those who
reject God and therefore cannot be renewed again to repentance will be condemned in the
third resurrection. This is a separate resurrection. The time involved will undoubtedly be
very brief. It will be long enough only to carry out the death sentence for their evil life.

Moreover, if there is no third resurrection, then the incorrigibly wicked would have
to be raised at the same time as those who never had a chance for salvation. They aren’t in
the first resurrection, so they would have to be in the second. If this is so, then where will
they be and what will they be doing during this period of time? They would have to be
restrained for this period of time until the earth and they with it are consumed by fire. This
does not make sense and there is nothing in the Bible to describe such a scenario.

Consequently, there are three distinct groups of people: the converted, the blinded
and the wicked. The sequence described in Revelation 20 is that of three separate
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resurrections. There is mention of a first resurrection, which implies at least one more
resurrection. While there is no specific mention of a second or third resurrection, the
sequence described certainly outlines three distinct resurrections, which involves the three
distinct groups of people who have lived.

Summary of the Three Resurrections

1. The first resurrection is only for the dead in Christ. It is a resurrection to

immortality. The wicked are not in this resurrection. Those who never had an
opportunity for salvation are not in this resurrection.
2. There is another resurrection to mortal life; therefore, it cannot be the first
resurrection. Since God offers His Holy Spirit to them, they will have an
opportunity to receive salvation. The wicked cannot be in this resurrection, as
God will not be giving His Holy Spirit to them.
3. The only time the wicked can come up in a resurrection is at a separate time. It
cannot be in the first resurrection. Nor can it be in the one where God offers
salvation to those who never had an opportunity. This resurrection is for the
purpose of final judgment on the wicked who will be destroyed along with the
earth.

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Appendix A
Lazarus and the Rich Man
Luke 16 records a parable about the resurrection of “a beggar,” Lazarus, and a
nameless “rich man” (verses 19-31). Does this parable illustrate that people go to heaven
or to hell when they die? Does it describe one simultaneous resurrection for both the just
and unjust? For many, this parable may seem to describe one simultaneous resurrection
for the just and unjust. However, Christ was not giving a detailed chronology of each
resurrection.

To understand this parable we need to begin in verse 14. Here we read of a

confrontation between Christ and the Pharisees.

Luke 16:14-16 “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all
these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, ‘You are those who
justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly
esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.’”

This is the context for the parable. Christ accuses the Pharisees of having their
hearts in the wrong place. We read that they were lovers of money. We also see them
deriding Jesus Christ. This is the setting for the parable of Lazarus and the richman. The
parable describes the fate of those who have their hearts set on money (as the Pharisees
did) and those who do not. The time setting of this parable, although clearly set in the
cultural context of Jesus’ day, could apply to any time before the return of Jesus Christ.

Luke 16:19-21: “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine
linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named
Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his
sores.”

Luke 16:22-23: “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to
Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments
in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his
bosom.”

Does this mean that the Lazarus was instantaneously and consciously carried to
heaven at the time that he died? Again, the Bible interprets itself, as noted earlier—“the
dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) and “The dead do not praise the LORD, nor any who
go down into silence” (Psalm 115:17). When Solomon and David wrote these scriptures,
Abraham had been dead for hundreds of years. The Jews were well aware of this:
“Abraham is dead, and the prophets” (John 8:52). And David “is both dead and buried, and
his tomb is with us to this day... For David did not ascend into the heavens...” (Acts 2:29,
34). Given that Abraham is also still in the grave, one cannot literally go to “Abraham’s

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bosom” at the time of his death. Jesus was not contradicting any of the scriptures that show
that the dead are not consciously with God, Abraham or anyone else.

What does it mean to be “in Abraham’s bosom”? In the Old Testament, this
conveyed the close relationship between a husband and wife—“the wife of your bosom”
(Deuteronomy 13:6, 28:54, 56; Micah 7:5-6). Israel was described as being carried in the
bosom of Moses (Numbers 11:12). A prophecy of Christ, as our shepherd, describes Him
carrying His flock in His “bosom” (Isaiah 40:11).

During the time of Christ, “bosom” could also appeal to a formal banquet setting
for special occasions. It’s a term reflecting closeness, companionship and special favor.
One would need to be seated next to the one upon whose bosom he is reclined—“No one
has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He
has declared Him” (John 1:18). The New Geneva Study Bible states, “The image of
‘bosom’ relates to being the guest of honor at a banquet” (Luder Whitlock, Jr., Logos
Library System, 1997). This was also a common setting for the Passover meal—“Now
there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23).
Notice the following quote from the Word Biblical Commentary:

“The first thing said about him is not that Jesus loved him, but that he reclined ejn
tw`/ kovlpw/ tou` ÆIhsou`, ‘close to the breast of Jesus.’ This (to us) curious
statement is explained by the situation of the company sharing in the meal. Instead
of being seated about a table (à la Leonardo da Vinci!) the custom of reclining on
cushions around a low table was being observed (this occurred only on special
occasions, but it was mandatory for the Passover meal); the participants reclined on
their left sides, supporting themselves with their left arm, leaving the right arm
free; Jesus as the host would have been slightly forward of the rest; if the Beloved
Disciple, who will have been on his right, leaned back to speak to Jesus he would
literally have had his head at his breast. That he made such a movement at Peter’s
behest is implied in v 25: ajnapeswvn (literally ‘falling up’) clearly means ‘leaning
back.’ The use of the phrase ejn tw`/ kovlpw/ ÆIhsou`, however, almost certainly
is intended to recall the similar phrase in the prologue, where it is stated, ‘The only
Son oJ w]n eij" to;n kovlpon tou` patrov" (‘who is in the bosom of the Father’) has
expounded him.’ The Evangelist introduces the Beloved Disciple as standing in an
analogous relation to Jesus as Jesus to the Father with respect to the revelation he
was sent to make known; behind this gospel is the testimony of one who was ‘close
to the heart’ of Jesus” (George R. Beasley-Murray, Volume 36: John, Dallas,
Texas: Word Books, 1998).

After the Passover meal and ceremony Jesus said, “I will not drink of the fruit of
the vine until the kingdom of God comes” (Luke 22:18). Yet after Christ returns and
establishes His kingdom here on earth, “…many will come from east and west, and sit
down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). The
Greek for “sit down,” anaklino, means “to lean against, lean upon, to lay down, to make or
bid to recline” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). Luke 13:28-29 says, “There will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in
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the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west,
from the north and the south, and sit down [anaklino] in the kingdom of God.” The New
American Standard Bible says, “And will recline at the table in the kingdom of God”
(1995 Update). It is not until after Christ returns and establishes His kingdom that Lazurus
or anyone else will recline (anaklino) upon the bosom of Abraham.

It’s significant that Lazarus “was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” (Luke
16:22). The “angels” will not do this until the end time—Matthew 24:29-31, “Immediately
after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its
light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then
the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will
mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will
gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” This
will be the beginning of many special occasions during which God’s people, the “sons of
Abraham” (Galatians 3:7) will share together, as is depicted by the phrase “Abraham’s
bosom.”

Now we’ll consider the meaning of “Hades,” the place from which the rich man
looked up. Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines “Hades” as “that which is out of sight, a
Greek word used to denote the state or place of the dead. All the dead alike go into this
place. To be buried, to go down to the grave, to descend into hades, are equivalent
expressions. In the LXX. this word is the usual rendering of the Hebrew sheol, the
common receptacle of the departed (Gen. 42:38; Ps. 139:8; Hos. 13:14; Isa. 14:9)” (Logos
Research Systems, Inc., 1996.). This is where the dead unconsciously reside and this is
where they will regain consciousness—“The hour is coming in which all who are in the
graves will hear His voice” (John 5:28). In the parable the rich man woke up in the grave.

Hades should not be confused with “gehenna,” the Greek word for “hell,” denoting
the “valley of Hinnom,” which Easton’s defines—“This valley afterwards became the
common receptacle for all the refuse of the city. Here the dead bodies of animals and of
criminals, and all kinds of filth, were cast and consumed by fire kept always burning. It
thus in process of time became the image of the place of everlasting destruction.” Another
Greek word used for “hell,” tartoroo, indicates the place where fallen angels are restricted
until their day of final judgment—“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast
them down to hell [tartoroo] and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for
judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). However, tartoroo is never used in association with humans that
have died.

Some pagan religions viewed Hades as an intermediary or holding place, where the
just are consciously in one compartment and the unjust in another compartment. The
perspective seems to have influenced the mainstream Christian interpretation of the
Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man.

New Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “HA'DES (Grk. hades, ‘unseen’)...The ancient

Greek view of Hades, and the Roman view of Orcus, or Inferna, is that of a place
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for all the dead in the depth of the earth; dark, dreary, cheerless, shut up,
inaccessible to prayers and sacrifices, ruled over by Pluto. This presiding god was
the enemy of all life, heartless, inexorable, and hated accordingly by gods and men.

“Luke 16:19-31, which sets forth the account of the rich man and Lazarus...,
indicates a difference in Hades after the ascension of Christ. Before this far-
reaching event it seems clear that Hades was in two compartments, the residence
respectively of saved and unsaved spirits. ‘Paradise’ and ‘Abraham’s bosom,’ both
common Jewish terms of the day, were adopted by Christ in Luke 16:22 and 23:43
to designate the condition of the righteous in the intermediate state. The blessed
dead, being with Abraham, were conscious and ‘comforted’ (16:25) . . . The rich
man, who is evidently still in Hades, is a representative case and describes the
unjudged condition in the intermediate state of the wicked. As to his spirit, he was
alive, fully conscious, in exercise of his mental faculties, and also tormented.”

Any interpretation of this parable cannot contradict what Scripture teaches

elsewhere about death and the resurrection. The definition of “Hades” (grave) does not
contradict Scripture. However an interpretation of “Hades” being a type of “purgatory” is a
contradiction of Scripture (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Psalm 115:17; et. al). The rich man was
resurrected from the “dead,” not life. The spirit is an unconscious entity that “returns to
God,” not a conscious existence in a holding place.

Though this is a parable, the scriptures related to this subject help us to understand
what is, and is not, intended by its illustration. The biblical implication is that Lazarus died
and, at the return of Christ, was resurrected and entered into an eternal fellowship with
Abraham. The rich man died “and was buried” and was resurrected (regained
consciousness) shortly before facing the fate of those in the third resurrection—the lake of
fire. Let’s return to the parable.

The rich man was in torment while looking up from his grave (hades). In verses 23
and 28, “torment” is rendered from basanos, meaning “torment, severe pain, severe
suffering” (Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament based on Semantic Domains, 1989). It was used in Matthew 4:24 where Jesus
healed “various diseases and torments [basanos].” It’s a derivative of basanizo, “to vex
with grievous pains (of body or mind), to torment.” Obviously the people healed had not
sustained injuries from being in a literal “torture chamber.” Nevertheless, can we totally
eliminate the existence of any physical pain or discomfort shortly before the unrepentant
experiences the fiery second death? Have you ever been close to a large fire, perhaps a
bonfire? The intense heat is intolerable if one is standing too close. “Therefore, because the
king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed
those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego” (Daniel 3:22).

The effect of the heat is what made the rich man thirsty. It’s safe to assume that a
person standing before the lake of fire will experience some level of physical pain or
discomfort, for a short while, before being thrown into the fire where the dead will know
nothing for the rest of eternity.
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In verses 24-25, the Greek for “tormented,” adunao, “involves torment and
punishment. These aspects are important supplementary features of the word...but are not
integral elements of the meaning” (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on
Semantic Domains, 1989). This Greek word can better emphasize a sense of “anguish” and
“distress” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). The rich man was suffering the mental anguish
and torment, which naturally will precede the second death. He was not yet in hellfire
(gehenna) as the unrepentant wicked will be—“ashes under the soles of your feet”
(Malachi 4:3).

Luke 16:24-26: “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I
am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your
lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now
he is comforted and you are tormented. ‘And besides all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot,
nor can those from there pass to us.’”

The “great gulf” is the separation between spirit and physical (eternal life and
eternal death). The lake of fire cannot harm those who are immortal—“Over such the
second death has no power” (Revelation 20:6). The rich man was resurrected to a mortal
existence therefore he was subject to the fiery judgment.

Luke 16:27-31: “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send
him to my father’s house, ‘for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest
they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses
and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one
goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ “But he said to him, ‘If they do not
hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from
the dead.’”

The five brothers were to hear Moses and the prophets rather than one risen from
the dead. Though “Moses and the prophets” will be alive at this time this phrase is properly
understood in the context of the Scriptures—“But Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have
warned them again and again. Your brothers can read them anytime they want to’” (The
Living Bible, 1997). Notice that the rich man thought his five brothers were still alive. He
was probably not aware of the time setting, since his judgment will be quick.

In summary, Lazarus and the rich man died and they did not know anything while
dead (Ecclesiastes 9:5, et. al.). Then Lazarus was resurrected at the return of Christ when
the rest of the firstfruit saints will enter into a close fellowship with each other
(“Abraham’s bosom”) for the rest of eternity (Matthew 24:29-31). The rich man will rise in
the third resurrection and, because he utterly rejected God, the “books” of Scripture and the
“Book of Life” will not be opened to him. Therefore he will simply be “judged...according
to his works” (Revelation 20:13).

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