Posted by Gary [GLamotta] on April 02, 1999 at 00:07:11 {ppHCdFLRUMMRXA6xmpscboLUiPtahc}:
Hi Joseph,
I've enjoyed discussing these things. I always learn something and I'm glad this time since it made me look at 1 Corinthians 15 again, and I now have a SURPRISE for you..... (smile).
You're not going to like this.
Are you sitting down?
Okay, here goes.
You know when Paul said that "it is first sowed in corruption and then raised in incorruption" and "it is first sown in a physical body then raised up in a spiritual one"?
Well.....he was talking about the first resurrection!
That is, the technical phases and process of the first resurrection.
Or, in other words, to be blunt, he was saying that the first phase of the resurrection is in the flesh and then the second phase is spiritual!
Furthermore, it is not until the last enemy "death" is destroyed, which is at the end of everything, after the millennium, after Judgment Day (whenever) that Jesus then finishes his earthly commission along with the 144,000 and it is then that they get their heavenly bodies.
So the basic SCHEDULE is this. The 144,000 have to be resurrected for the millennium and Judgment Day in the flesh. So they are ressurrected "in the flesh" but in a special way. That is, first they die, then their "seed" of life is implanted into the body of some faithful person before the millennium begins! That's how the resurrection works!
That's why 1 Cor. 15:38 says, "..but god gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and to eachof the seeds its own body."
So the "seeds" the life force of these dead faithful ones are implanted into chosen bodies as God pleases. Likely someone with a similar personality or general disposition. And that's how they are resurrected in the flesh.
So therefore, there could be as many as 288,000 individual persons making up the Bride Class, but only occupying 144,000 individual bodies.
As I said, the resurrection as explained by Paul is by it's own time. First the phsyical and then the spiritual.
So this works out perfectly for what has to be done. That is, Jesus and the 144,000 must be on the earth to rule for 100,000 years as king-priests and then after that to serve as judges to "judge the 12 tribes of Israel" during JUDGEMENT DAY which is a special time period following the millennium. Then after everybody is judged and everything is done and "death is no more" and Jesus is ready to turn everything back over to Jehovah in a cleansed and righteous state, it is at that time that all are "changed in the twinkling of an eye together" to meet the Lord in the air and they become new spirit beings. It is at that time that they then put on their incorruptible spirit bodies!
So even in the first resurrection, even if they are perfect humans at the beginning of the Millennium and in some sense have been granted everlasting life, it still will be in a human body which is still considered "corruptible." Only after their earthly and fleshly assignment is over do they then get their incorruptible bodies.
Thus Paul was really saying that no one will be ahead of anyone else. They will all get their incorruptible bodies at the same time. Not even those who had died will supercede those who survive since even they must come back and take up a human body again.
By the way, Paul was being very direct. Paul and John were two who actually did survive through the centuries from the first century all the way down until our day. Paul included himself in this group and it was rumored and not denied that John also would be one that would live on. Remember Jesus said that "some standing here now would not taste death until I come..." John was in that group at the time and that was LITERAL.
So that means, of course, that all the Christians and others who have died are now present in the bodies of at least 144,000 chosen ones. They may not know about who else they are even. And sense we are at the end of this generation, I can only presume that everyone has been resurrected by this time. That includes even Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other men of faith, who with their early, fleshy resurrection will qualify to become part of the 144,000 since they appear in the flesh again, and they, of course, will be "princes in the earth" which is a prophecy that they will be part of the 144,000 who rule with Christ.
Since there is no resurrection during the millennium, these must also be part of the 1st resurrection!
SURPRISE! Isn't it interesting how some scriptures can't be understood until others are fulfilled.
But the bottom line is that the 144,00 must be in the flesh first and that's why their resurrection is first in a fleshy body, sharing that of one of the approved anointed ones alive during his presence, and then, after death is destroyed which is after the judgment, then is when "corruption will put on incorruption."
Isn't that a fantastic NEW TRUTH!
Didn't that work out great!
Nice SURPRISE, HUH!!!!! (smile!:))))))))))
I don't expect you to agree, but I thought you'd find it amusing I came up with this new interpretation for 1 Corinthians 15.... Too much, huh?
Cheerio,
Gary