The Mystery of a better resurrection

Author of the book of Hebrews in chapter 11 touches another important aspect of our faith calling it a better resurrection.

Before he lays this fact dawn in a Christian’s life, he gives a long list of Old Covenant Heroes of faith by describing their actions or their lives lived under the conviction of their faith. After he is finished with that he is saying, and all this was so they would obtain a better resurrection. What does he mean by this statement? Which is a better resurrection?

We need to know that Adam and his race are destined to eternal separation from God and only through Christ

(The spiritual Adam) we are promised eternal life with God.

Now by coming to the initial purposes of man’s creation we recognize God’s intention for man was to be in His perfect image and likeness. It was in this likeness that God was going to have dominion on the creative order of the earth.  But Satan soon after he finds out of this eternal mystery stole that image by lying to them to be like God in making them captive in declaring their so called independence. Here is where the first plan of God seemed to have failed, yet there in Genesis God still presented His eternal plan by introducing the seed of women who Crushed Satan’s head.  This was the promise of Christ. As with every potter who marred the clay in his hand to make a better one, so did God. In Jeremiah the 18^th chapter we read God’s sovereignty being portrayed in the way He speaks to His chosen people through prophet Jeremiah in regards to His sovereignty and power as the ultimate Redeemer.

As with every potter who has the right to make what he wants out of his clay, so is God. In many occasions, even in the New Covenant scripture like Paul in Romans 9 speaks of us as clay in the hands of God and Him being the potter. Therefore since the initial plan of God had seemed to have failed, God in His redemptive plan for man eventually brought forth His Son, who is the expressed image of God in flesh. This concluded the entire plan of God in bringing His reign on earth fully.

This is why the humanity of Christ is very much opposed by Satan. Since in His humanity Christ has reconciled us to God. This reconciliation as Paul in 2^nd Corinthians is saying is the complete work of His grace in bringing all His plans and purposes on earth through this one new man.

Now this is why Paul in Ephesians chapter 4 declares the purpose of the ministry of the Church and that is to help bring this new image of the spiritual man in Christ to its fullest within the Body He purchased for Himself.

That is why I believe God told prophet Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house, so that while the potter was working in action the prophet could understand its reference to God’s sovereignty and purpose.

Man is justified by faith and our salvation comes through faith in the finished work of God in Christ, but it is by the actions of the same faith that the truth of this conversion is weight.

All the heroes of faith in the book of Hebrews tell us one thing that unless they materialized their confessed faith in Christ by works of faith, their agreement with this professed faith was not going to grant them the eternal life in Him.

The book of Acts says through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. And having said all this I am reminded of the letter of the 2^nd Thessalonians chapter 1 verses 4 & 5, which says……

“ So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you suffer.” 2^nd Thess.1:4-5

Here is another valid point in making us understand that by a life lived through faith in suffering and tribulations we are indirectly saying to God and the enemy Satan and this flesh and even the world that we are in submission to the faith we proclaim in Christ Jesus.

That we are gladly in participation of this conformity of His image, therefore we will be called worthy of a better resurrection than those whose lives have no evidence of such devotion.

This is why just mere confession of faith in God and Christ is not enough to earn us this eternal victory through our God.

This brings us to the importance of the better resurrection. The better resurrection I trust is the first resurrection mentioned in Rev. Chapter 20. The subject of our discussion from last week. In the Old Covenant readings of Daniel chapter 12 in verses 1 to 3 we also read of a day of resurrection, the one I believe Martha and Mary were speaking of for their brother Lazarus, before Jesus told them that He is the Resurrection and Life.

However in Revelation chapter 20 John is saying there is a first resurrection that would be for those who by faith in Christ would overcome the challenges of their walk.

This I believe is the result of conformation to the image and likeness of the Spiritual Adam. This is to allow God’s sovereignty through the Holy Spirit to conform us to the restored image of the Spiritual Adam or Christ Jesus.

This new image pictured in Christ and having come to the fullness of this image is what will qualify man to rule and reign with Him in the coming millennium.

These are the ones who would let God to conform them to His own image, who will be given a better resurrection to rule and reign with Him in His kingdom. This is why Jesus tells His disciples, because you continued with me in my trials I too will bestow a Kingdom upon you. (Luke22:28-30). And I believe this is why in Daniel chapter 12 there is no mention of one thousand year millennium of Christ. Maybe that is why in this Old Covenant scripture only one resurrection is mentioned. A general resurrection for the righteous and unrighteous, even though in prior chapters of Daniel’s prophecy we read that the  Kingdom will be finally given to the saints of the Most High. Whatever this might be I trust only those who would be willing to be conformed to this Spiritual Adam’s image are the ones who would participate in a better resurrection, that will give them the right to reign with  Him in , His coming kingdom on earth.

I hope I  was able to make myself clear about why did Jesus say to His own who stayed with Him in His trials a Kingdom will be bestowed upon them. Isn’t this a proper question to ask? What about the rest then?

In all the book of Revelations it says many times those who would overcome not only the second death will not harm them, but they will rule and reign with Him.

In order to rule and reign with Christ we need to be from the same essence of the King and being conformed to His image and Likeness will overcome the world, Satan and Flesh.

In Revelations 2:26 Jesus says to the angel of the Church in Thyatira the following…. “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will Give power to rule over the nations. He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels”. I shall give them what I have received from My Father the morning star.

Finally I was thinking about this better resurrection and the overcoming church and all of a sudden I felt like looking into the Revelations chapter 12 and the male child mentioned there, and I came across this findings in the internet by another man of God that said almost the same things I have come believe today and that says…

“The Man Child of Revelation 12 and the Overcomers of Revelation 2:25-27 are Related and may be theBody of Christ! Also, Comparing Scriptures with Scriptures I believe I have made some important connections between scriptures for the Rapture in Isaiah 26:17-21; Revelation 6; Revelation 12.”

Ofcource all of these remains to be verified by the Lord Himself through personal revelation of the word of God, but one thing is obvious and that is no one who is not conformed to His image would not be called worthy to rule in that Kingdom to come.