The Bible says a lot about the resurrection of the dead. There are over 100 verses in the Bible that cover this topic. There are examples both in the Old and New Testament of dead people who were brought back to life.
Resurrection in the Old Testament
Elijah raised a widow's son from the dead, demonstrating God's power over life and death (1 Kings 17:17-24).
Later, after the death of Elijah's disciple and protege Elisha, a man was hastily thrown into Elisha's tomb, and when his body touched Elisha's bones, he came back to life (2 Kings 13:20-21) Resurrection is a powerful theme in the Old Testament.
One of the great prophecies regarding the resurrection of the dead is in Ezekiel 37, where God shows the prophet Ezekiel the dry bones and challenges Ezekiel to speak life into these dry bones. God tells Ezekiel to speak a prophetic message over these bones and to speak breath into these dead bodies so they may live again.
God promises in Ezekiel 37 to put His Spirit into these bones and make them live again. This is a beautiful example and foreshadowing of what would occur when Jesus came on the scene. It is also a beautiful promise of what Jesus will do at the end of time for all dead bodies who have put their faith in trust in Him in this present age.
Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life
The Gospels contain many examples of Jesus raising the dead and healing the sick. Probably the most famous example is the story of Jesus' friend Lazarus in John 11.
In classic Jesus fashion, he decided to be late to Lazarus's death and funeral. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Martha and Mary, Lazarus's sisters, were struck with deep grief and sorrow to the point of despair.
Jesus arrives, and Mary, who had sat at Jesus' feet, lingered at home, not wanting to see Him. The assumption is she was disappointed in His timing and not confident in His ability to do anything about the death of her brother four days after he had died.
Jesus encountered Martha first and told her that her brother would rise again. Martha believed in the future resurrection of all of those who believed in Jesus, but she wasn't convinced Lazarus could live again in this life.
Once Jesus had consoled her, she went back and got Mary. Mary came and declared a similar sentiment but with a little more punch. She wanted Jesus to know that his tardiness had cost Lazarus his life. This encounter between Mary and Jesus led to her weeping.
Her weeping led to the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept," in John 11.
Death brings grief to all. Grief brings tears to all, including Jesus.
Yet, Jesus knew that Lazarus would live again, not just in the resurrection, but now. Jesus declares in John 11, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying." Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. This was a foreshadowing of his resurrection and, one day, the resurrection of all who believe in Him.
Jesus predicted his death in John 12 and promised those who believed in Him that the light of God would shine in them forever. Jesus then died on the cross for all of humanity's sins. He became a sin, so all of humanity had a chance to become God's righteousness.
Jesus' Own Resurrection and Its Impact
Matthew 27 says that after Jesus' resurrection, many dead were raised to life and appeared to their loved ones.
Jesus also appears to people repeatedly after His resurrection to confirm these promises He made to them, and then He promised the Holy Spirit before He left.
Upon His ascension in Acts 1, He sent the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 to confirm these future events and to provide a Helper to guide all who believe in Him. This fulfilled what He promised the disciples when He walked the earth with them.
The Final Resurrection and Judgment
The Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation address the Second Coming of Jesus and the Resurrection of the Dead to eternal life or eternal judgment.
In Daniel 12, John 6, and Acts 24, those who sleep in the dust awake from death to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt depending on their choice to accept Jesus or not as their Savior.
Revelation 20 shows a scene of an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit, and the angel seizes the dragon, which represents Satan. There is a thousand-year rest for the earth from Satan before he is released again on the earth.
Amid all of this, there is a declaration that the resurrected come to life and reign with Jesus. There is a lot of speculation and disagreement on the order, process, and who will or will not be included in the details of this time, but suffice to say that after the completion of what is known as the Tribulation and the Millenium, Judgment Day occurs.
Revelation 20 makes it clear that all will come to life again from the dead for the final judgment, which is referred to as the Final Judgment with Jesus. John the Revelator states that the dead, both great and small, will stand before God's throne of judgment.
The Book of Life is opened, and all will be judged. Those whose names are not found in the Book of Life will be sent to the Lake of Fire, which is the Second Death.
The New Heaven and New Earth
Revelation 21 then shows a new heaven and a new earth coming down out of heaven from God's Throne Room. God will then make His home among people again, as in the days of the Garden of Eden before the sinful Fall of Adam and Eve.
This new heaven and earth will no longer have tears, death, sorrow, crying, or pain. All these things are declared gone forever. What a great place to live!
The closing chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22, then shows a bit of what this new heaven and new earth will look like and the relationship humanity will share with the Lamb, Jesus.
The Ultimate Choice: Eternal Life or Judgment
The Bible closes with Jesus declaring He will return one day, bringing His reward with him to repay all people according to their deeds. He promises to bless those whose robes have been washed.
The imagery and implication here go back to Noah's time when they were clothed in animal-skin robes. The imagery of the shedding of blood and the fulfillment of animal sacrifice foreshadowed the shedding of Christ's blood for all humanity.
The point is that those whose robes have been washed by Jesus's blood will experience the resurrection to eternal life.
Each person then, today, and as long as this life tarries must personally choose Jesus' sacrifice to experience this resurrection to eternal life.
Jesus makes it clear at the end of the Bible in the Book of Revelation that He is the source of David, the heir to his throne, and the bright morning star. This echoes his words in the Gospel of John when He tells all of humanity in John 14 that He is the only way to eternal life and to the resurrection that leads to eternal life.
This is the most important decision a person can make in this life. May each person choose wisely about Jesus for the resurrection to eternal life or death hangs in the balance.
