RESURRECTION
Res·ur·rec·tion 1. The act of rising from the dead or returning to life. 2. The state of one who has returned to life. 3. The act of bringing back to practice, notice, or use; revival.
The Bible states in Hebrews 11; And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.
If there is a better resurrection then of necessity there must be an inferior one.
Notice the qualification to obtain to this better resurrection. They were tortured and had to not accept deliverance. To fully understand what is meant we need only to look at the lives of the Disciples after YahShuas resurrection. We are struck with the reality that they held the power of life and death in their own hands. They had in effect become the Apostles of a new and LIVING way.
Forerunners
These forerunners of the true church lived as firstfruits of everlasting life. For Yah so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Notice the word perish in this scripture. Perish is what the body does upon death, thus this promise was that they should not perish. They literally had everlasting life working in them.
I am reminded of what YahShua said, I lay down My life, that I might take it again. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father. Then He goes on to say, Even as the Father has sent Me into the world so send I you. The same commission, the same commandment.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Paul testifies, Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. How many times does someone survive such beatings, a stoning and shipwrecks without some divine life working in them to keep them alive.
History gives no date for the death of John the disciple, and author of the book of Revelation. Tradition says it was between the year A.D. 89 and A.D. 120. However, we hear YahShua saying to Peter, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? Is he still here with us today?
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Two Kinds of Resurrection
Remember the words of YahShua to Mary, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. This is resurrection from physical death. But he does not stop with this statement, he continues. And whoever lives and believes in me will never die. This is a change not a death. Then he asks, Do you believe this?
A believer has the promise of everlasting life. It is theirs if they believe on the only begotten Son of Yah. Paul was assured of the first kind of resurrection because he was saved, yet we hear him cry out O, that I might know Him in the power of HIS resurrection. Since Paul already had the promise of the first kind of resurrection, he must have seen something far more glorious in the kind YahShua had.
There are two kinds of resurrections in the Bible. A type and shadow of what is to come. All through YahShua's ministry He kept saying, the kingdom of Yah is like. So, YahShua's ministry and most of what He did was really a prophecy, a type and shadow of things to come on this side of the cross. YahShua called Himself a prophet. A prophet prophecies.
The resurrection of Lazarus spoke of one type of resurrection, and is the inferior resurrection, while YahShua's own resurrection speaks of the better resurrection.
Lazarus was in the grave four days, and came forth in a flesh and blood body. This is a type of one kind of resurrection that fulfills Yah's promise of everlasting life. YahShua knew Lazarus was sick for word was sent to Him, but He did not go until Lazarus was in the grave four days. Why? Was there some purpose in this?
Remember the number four means "full dominion" or "encompassing the whole", such as the four compass directions, four seasons and four-corners of the earth, the altar and so forth. This is the type of resurrections held out to the whole of humanity. Yahshua was trying to show his disciples a foretaste of that which is to come.
In the resurrection of which Lazarus was a type you come forth incorruptible in a flesh and blood body. This corruptible shall put on incorruption that it might be fulfilled which was written by the Prophets. Most of the people of Yah will walk the earth in the Kingdom Age with this kind of life. These will be eternal human beings with blood flowing through their veins and flesh upon their bones that will not perish but have everlasting life. Children will be born to them and fill the universe. When a child has reached the age of maturity because death is put under foot, a mature man is what he will remain throughout eternity as is promised by Yah.
In Revelation twelve we read about a woman about to give birth. The woman, female or daughters of Yah gives birth to a manchild, but remains in the wilderness, earth, or servent realm. The malechild or the sons of Yah are caught up to heaven. The woman or daughters, will walk in the Kingdom Age with everlasting life, the resurrection of which Lazerus was a type, while the sons will come out of the heavenlies with immortal life, the YahShua kind of resurrection.
If you have accepted salvation by faith in the blood of YahShua, the Holy Spirit will bring you many times to the place of experiencing the new birth. That is the Holy Spirits office work and he is faithful. YahShua said, It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter (Holy Spirit) will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
It is no longer a matter of sin, but of obedience to righteousness, that is right standing with Yah, or standing in the right place with Yah. It is not his plan for people to remain saved by grace, but to come into a personal relationship with him by divine birth. He has predestined us for sonship. Remember with Yah there is no respect of persons, but he has called and predestined all that are willing. For those Yah foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called and those he called, he also justified and those he justified, he also glorified.
The better resurrection is the YahShua type of resurrection. YahShua was in the tomb three days and three nights. When He came forth that glorious day He was a spirit being. Three is the number of perfection. This resurrection is for the overcomers who have come to perfection, that is, for those who have matured spiritually. They are the "Elect" of Yah. Immature sons will not partake in this for it is the higher calling. Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all, but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. The appointed time is at the manifestation or adoptions of sons.
Being born of the Spirit is not enough to enter the Higher Calling. There is a development you must undergo before you can inherit the power of sonship, or partake of the adoption of sons. See the article "Adoption". However, "as many as received him, to them gave he power "to become" the sons of Yah, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of Yah.
Born again man is a triune being made up of spirit, soul and a body. In the plan of Yah this is the order of salvation. When we are born again we become spirit beings the first step. Then there is the renewing of our minds, intellect and understanding which saves the soul. The corruptible dead thinking carnal mind is being transformed by the washing of the water of the revealed Word of Yah into a spiritual mind with spiritual understanding. This is the second step and where we are today. The next great move of Yah will bring in body salvation, or the Adoption, and this was what YahShuas resurrection is all about. But, this takes the renewing of our minds so that the same mind is in us as is in Yahshua Messiyah.
What was YahShua like after His resurrection? First of all He had poured out His flesh lifes blood on the cross and was no longer Yah manifested in the flesh. When YahShua came out of the tomb He was the immortal Son of Yah. The life of the flesh was poured out at the cross and the Spirit of Yah is now His life's blood. He could take upon Himself a body as He had before His death if he chose to do so. I said body, not flesh and blood. Just as He, our flesh carnal life with its my own way mentality is poured out at the foot of His cross, and we can then take upon us His kind of immortal body. If the disciples had cut YahShua open in the upper room, blood would not have spilled out of His veins, but they would have been slain by the unveiled glory of Yah that is His life force. He could change His looks and go back and forth from body to the Spirit instantly. He could go anywhere He wanted without being obstructed by doors, walls and such. Time and space meant nothing.
The Mystery
You do not have to die a physical death to obtain a resurrection. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (which is corruption putting on incorruption and mortal putting on immortality) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of Yah, and the dead in Messiyah shall rise first. Notice this says the dead in Messiyah, not the grave. We are to become dead in Messiyah and alive unto Yah. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,(of His glory) to meet the Lord in the air(that is heaven, not a geographical place), and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Paul was the author of this verse and he said that he did not consider himself to have obtained, but he was pressing toward the mark of the High calling in Yah.
So, we see that this catching up is the same as a resurrection because we are changed just as those who are in the grave. Then the scriptures teach that each one will come into this in his own order. Messiyah, the firstfruit and then those who are still alive to carnal ways and ideologies.
The YahShua kind of resurrection is reserved for those who have experienced spiritual birth and have become overcomers. Paul explains how to obtain to His resurrection. That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. YahShua said, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.
It is not only being free from fear of death, but to face it and overcoming death itself. When you become free from death and you fully realize that it is the last enemy to be put under our feet, you will find a testing for the Word or revelation's sake waiting. There you will meet with a situation where death is manifest to you for the purpose of overcoming it. Don't worry though it does not lead unto death for you, though you might think so at the time. Once we have left behind the inhabitations that comes with the thought or feeling of death it will be time for us to be manifest as sons. We are only truly ready to live when we have come to the point that we no longer care if we die. When we can count our physical life as nothing and realize we are kept not by our own will to live, but by his promise or revelation of abundant life or sonship. For this corruptible must put on incorruption. This is for all believers who are saved. This is the Lazarus kind of resurrection. And this mortal must put on immortality. This kind of resurrection takes a birth by the Spirit, and a death to the old man. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The Glory
Paul says, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Then he gives us a glimpse into this when he said, But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. But Yah gives it a body as He has determined, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor(glory) of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor(glory). So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable, (everlasting life) it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power(immortality). Then He goes on to explain the plan of Yah for his people, It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy. For those who do not submit to the cross life and die to self, they remain earthly or carnal and will receive an earthly or carnal body, but it will be an everlasting one. And as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. If you submit to the work of the Holy Spirit, to the death of your self-life, to your ego and carnal ideas, you will become spiritually minded or heavenly minded. Then you will qualify to receive an immortal body or a heavenly body. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Yah, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Here Paul inserts a warning. Flesh and blood can not inherit the heavenly, but neither can the perishable inherit imperishable. So, there must be a change and that is called resurrection. For the carnal it is a physical change, and for those born of the spirit it is putting on immortality. Our time in this present realm is a time of development. The degree of development decrees the degree of glory we obtain in the resurrection. I like to say it this way, The quantity of life we obtain in this realm is the quality of life we will obtain in Heaven.
We must be made conformable unto His death, that is, submitting to the work of the cross of death to self, ego and carnal thinking. We must be willing to let the Holy Spirit's refining fire do its work in our life. Today, Yah has a people outside the gate, outside of the city of religion who are pouring out their humanity, life's blood, like YahShua, and will come forth immortal. These are called sons of Yah. YahShua is the first born among many brothers, for Yah has given us power to BECOME sons of Yah, and partake of immortal life. Beloved, now are we the sons of Yah, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure.
Why settle for everlasting life, the inferior resurrection, when the better resurrection is ours if we are willing to pay the price for it? Servants or sons, the choice is ours. I am always available to answer the questions of a hungry heart. It is Yah's will that we help one another up the hill to transfiguration. However, keep in mind that it is not revelation knowledge that we should seek, but "HIM". Spiritual understand will automatically come as we become more aware of "HIM" and become more like "HIM". Many fall short of full sonship by becoming too caught up in the revelation, and not caught up "IN HIM". "HE" must have preeminence in our life even in our getting of revelation knowledge. I can not stress this enough.