This morning I was speaking about the Gospel from the resurrection from John’s point of view and one of the things we saw is that Jesus rose from the dead and that He was seen first of all by the women who were much more faithful and zealous to seek the Lord at this time in the morning.
And I suggested that the men, the disciples, had actually fled, most likely to Bethany, when Jesus was arrested, though Peter and John had gone into Jerusalem. And, during the day, Mary Magdalene and the women had gone to assemble the disciples and to bring them together in Jerusalem where they met with the risen Lord.
We’re going to read about the meeting with the Lord in Luke 24.33 and then I’m going to speak on the theme of the resurrection in Judaism and in Christianity remembering of course that Jesus and the disciples were all Jewish.
Let’s just have a word of prayer as we come to the Lord.
Lord, we thank you for your Word. We pray that you bless the reading and the speaking of your Word and help us to understand this subject. We pray in the name of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah.
Let’s start at verse 33. This is actually the people on the Emmaus road as they go back to Jerusalem.
33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. 36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” 40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marvelled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
Luke 24.33-49
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Luke 24.44
45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Luke 24.45-49
Ezekiel 37 says,
The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
Ezekiel 37.1-6
And then he prophesies, they come together and in verse 11 it says
11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’ ”
Ezekiel 37.11-14
This prophecy works on two levels. Someone said it’s a picture of the present restoration of Israel. So, God brings the people back physically to the land and then He has a purpose, at the end of days, to move upon them spiritually and cause them to become a great army before the Lord as the Holy Spirit comes upon them.
Therefore, we have first a physical birth, then, a spiritual birth. Others have said this is a picture of the resurrection of the dead at the coming of the Messiah: the Messiah comes to Israel and the resurrection of the dead takes place.
Clearly it is some kind of a resurrection because it’s speaking about dry bones, dead bones coming together and having life within them.
Another passage in Daniel is probably one of the clearest passages on the resurrection in the Old Testament.
“At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Daniel 12.1-4
This speaks about the time of the Great Tribulation, a time of trouble such as has not been before or ever shall be.
If you look at the New Testament, Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 24, about the time of Great Tribulation unlike any that has been before or ever shall be. It also says that, at this time, those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to everlasting contempt.
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened… 25 See, I have told you beforehand… 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24.15-27
Therefore, it’s going to be a resurrection to life and a resurrection to condemnation. And Daniel was told to shut up the words, seal the book till the time of the end and that people shall run to and fro, but knowledge shall increase. So, the prophecy has something to do with the time of the end, the time of the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead.
Then, at the end of Daniel chapter 12 it says you verse 9
9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
Daniel 12.9-13
I’m not going to try and explain the 1 335 days now. There is an explanation to that which is interesting but it would take too long. However, what he’s saying here to Daniel is ‘you go your way, these things are going to come to pass and, at the end of days, you are going to be resurrected‘.
It says, ‘go your way, you will arise to your inheritance at the end of days‘ which tells you there will be a resurrection of the righteous from the Old Testament times at the end of days.
All these scriptures are telling you that there will be a resurrection and they’re implying also it’s a literal resurrection and a bodily resurrection. So, Daniel will be resurrected as Daniel so he will be recognizable as the prophet Daniel and others from the Old Testament period will be resurrected.
There’s also a concept in the coming of the Messiah to the Mount of Olives. Anyone who has been to the Mount of Olives, outside Jerusalem, knows that there is a big graveyard and it’s a place where Orthodox Jews want to be buried because they believe that, when the Messiah comes, He is going to blow a trumpet and the people who are nearest to the Messiah when He blows the trumpet will be the first to rise from the dead. So, it’s a good and prestigious place to be buried.
Now, we believe that the dead in Christ will rise first, but that’s another issue.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4.15-18
However, certainly this concept of resurrection is there in Judaism and there is a hope in the resurrection of the dead in the Jewish scriptures though it may not be quite so clear as it is in the New Testament.
Again, all these passages are telling you that there will be a resurrection and they’re implying also it’s a literal resurrection and a bodily resurrection.