Sunday, July 15, 2012

Question 23 -How Many Resurrections?
Pre-Trib's view of the resurrections allows for five!! Jesus clearly prophesied only two. Should Pre-Trib Ponder and re-think their view declaring there'll be people killed during the Tribulation because they resisted Antichrist, yet the Bible says these same martyrs will be  resurrected in the, "First Resurrection." According to Pre-Trib, the First Resurrection will occur BEFORE the Tribulation. Obviously John was shown in vision that, contrary to Pre-Trib's version, the First Resurrection occurs AFTER the Tribulation.

Up until John was shown that there will be 2 resurrections, one for the Saved at the beginning of the thousand years, the Millennium, and one for the lost wicked at the end, there was little if any Biblical evidence of more than one resurrection. Pre-Trib, however, claims there will be at least 3 resurrections for the saved people alone, not including the resurrection of the wicked. Pre-Trib says there'll be one at what they call the Rapture, one at the end of the Tribulation, and one at the end of what they call a Millennial Kingdom. In addition to the resurrection for the good people at the end of the Millennium, there is of course the resurrection at the same time for the lost wicked. Pre-Trib has some differing views concerning deaths of righteous people during the Millennial Kingdom. Some say those who die will be resurrected at the end of the Millennial Kingdom, and some say that when the saved people die, they will immediately be resurrected and given their new, glorified bodies. If these Pre-Tribbers are correct, there would have to be literally millions of resurrections, one person at a time. Pre-Tribbers holding this view are not clear as to whether they believe these instantly resurrected people will re-join their families here on this earth, or go to Heaven to live in their mansions Jesus prepared.

There is also confusion concerning any older people who Pre-Trib says will remain mortals when they enter this Millennial Kingdom. Do these old people remain old and in a weakened condition throughout the entire thousand years? If so would these people long to die so that they could receive their new glorified bodies. This brings up another problem. In spite of what Jesus said about there being no marriage in the next age (see Lk.20:35-36), Pre-Trib says there'll be marriages and children born, and these children will grow up and marry, and this process will continue throughout the Millennium. So what would happen if one member of a couple died, and then was instantly resurrected, and re-joined his wife in this Millennial Kingdom? He is in his new glorified body. Will he continue having the normal husband and wife relationship with his wife? Is she still his wife, or should she seek another husband? The un-answerable questions created are many! We suggest the Bible teaches only two Resurrections. 

Before continuing, we must address the Pre-Trib position about deaths and resurrections of Righteous people during the Millennium. We have done an Internet search about this and discovered that the majority of those expressing views say that no Righteous people will die during the Millennial Kingdom, but some say the opposite. 

Millennium - None Die
Those taking the position that some Righteous people die must deal with Christ's words in Mathew 25:46: "And these (the Goats - the lost wicked) shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the Righteous into life eternal." So, according to Pre-Trib's interpretation of this, the Righteous entering the Kingdom have "Life Eternal," and cannot die. Thus many Pre-Trib promoters maintain that none entering the Kingdom die. 

Millennium - Some Die
Those claiming that no Righteous people die must deal with Ezekiel 44:22: "Neither shall they (Priests) take for their wives a widow, no her that has been put away (divorced), but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before." It is plain to see that, if Pre-Trib promotes the view that Ezekiel is prophesying about a Millennial Temple, what about that part about "Widows of Priests that have died?" And what about those other "Widows?" 

Obviously Pre-Trib has a difficult situation as they attempt to put together their true position concerning deaths and resurrections. If we are keeping record of the multiple resurrections within Pre-Trib's view, there could be as many as five. And then there's the Pondered Question as to where do these Old Testament Saints and Tribulation Saints and Millennial Saints go when they are resurrected? Do they go to Heaven, or do they stay here on earth to share in the Jewish Millennial Kingdom?

Role of Resurrected People after the Rapture
We've done Internet searches to discover what Pre-Trib's position is concerning those Resurrected at the end of the Tribulation, and found many varying views. The Question to Ponder is, what resurrected Old Testament Saints and resurrected Tribulation Saints will do after they are resurrected? And for that matter, what will the Raptured Saints be doing during the Millennial Kingdom? Let's address this first. Some say the Millennial Kingdom is only for mortal Jews that have physically survived the Tribulation and have accepted Jesus as their Savior. These, say Pre-Trib promoters, will rule the entire earth with Jesus as their King and David as their Prince or Governor. However, there are many within Pre-Trib suggesting the Raptured Church people will be in charge of the world nations during this time. Although this view is hurled about on the Internet by some who have a high standing within the Pre-Trib community, it is contrary to the very foundation of Pre-Trib. The view is counter productive in that it complete negates the whole purpose of the Millennial Kingdom according to Pre-Trib itself, and that being the Kingdom will be Old Testament Promises/Prophecies being fulfilled specifically for the Jews. What makes this even more ironic is the fact that, if you do an Internet search on the subject, you'll find that the same Website will have a section in which they promote the view that the Millennium will be run by "All Mortal Jews," and another section claiming that the Raptured Church Saints will be in charge and have authority over the Jews as well as all nations. As to the Old Testament Saints and the Tribulation Saints being resurrected and what their role is, this too varies from one Pre-Trib Website to another. In other words, "Confusion Begets Confusion."

If we stay with the Bible's version of only two resurrections, all of the confusion and un-answerable questions vanish. We suggest this would be best. The Pondered and Un-Aswered and Un-Answerable Questions surrounding this subject is mind boggling.

Are the Dead Really Dead Anyway?
Let's close this subject with another Pondered Question directly related. Here we are trying to sort out all of these resurrections, when, according to Pre-Trib, none of these people that are dead are really dead in the first place. Pre-Trib, and most Christian groups, claim that there is no death. They claim that when saved people die they are immediately transported to Heaven more alive than when they were alive, and that the lost wicked are immediately transferred to Hell. This doctrine causes too much confusion to add to this Blogsite, so we will look at it in future chapters.  For a look at what we suggest the Bible says about death, see "Are the Dead Dead or Alive? There we look at what Paul meant about "Absent from the Body - Present with the Lord."

Thank you SO much, Dear Reader,  for your time!
Your Brother in Christ
Walter C. Martin Jr. 
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Check Our Other Websites:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus
Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

 Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

 The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Websites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Websites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr
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