My dear friends, as we rejoice this season over the victory of our Savior over death in His resurrection, may we be reminded of His words in John 5:22-29:

“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent Him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

In John 5, we have, indicated in the most unmistakable terms, two resurrections. True, they are not distinguished as to TIME in this passage; but they are as to CHARACTER. We have a LIFE resurrection (also called the resurrection unto everlasting life in Daniel 12:2, the resurrection of the just in Luke 14:14 and Acts 24:15, a better resurrection in Hebrews 11:35 and the first resurrection in Revelation 20:5,6); and a JUDGMENT resurrection (also called the resurrection unto shame and everlasting contempt in Daniel 12:2, the resurrection of the unjust in Acts 24:15, and implied as the second resurrection in Revelation 20:5-6, 11-14), and nothing can be more distinct than these. There is no possible ground here on which to build the theory of a general resurrection. The resurrection of believers will be narrow and particular; it will be on the same principle, and partake of the same character as the resurrection of our blessed and adorable Lord; it will be a resurrection FROM AMONG the dead. It will be an act of divine power, founded upon accomplished redemption, whereby God will interpose on behalf of His sleeping saints, and raise them up from among the dead, leaving the rest of the dead in their graves for at least a thousand years (Revelation 20:5) depending on the resurrection company into which the saints fall.

There is an interesting passage in Mark 9 which throws great light on this subject. The opening verses contain the record of the transfiguration; and then we read,

“As they came down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from [EK in the Greek, i.e., from among or out of] the dead should mean.” (Mark 9:9-10, emphasis supplied)

The disciples felt that there was something special, something entirely beyond the ordinary orthodox idea of the resurrection of the dead. Indeed there was something special, though they understood it not then. It lay beyond their range of vision at that moment.

Turning to Philippians 3, we feel the pulse and breathings of one who thoroughly entered into and appreciated this grand Christian doctrine, and fondly cherished this glorious and heavenly hope.

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death: if by any means I might attain unto the RESURRECTION of the dead” [‘exanastasis’ in the Greek, the only occurrence of this word in the Greek New Testament. A combination of the preposition ‘ek’ (meaning from or out of) and the noun ‘anastasis’ (meaning resurrection) gives us exanastasis] (verses 10, 11).

A moment’s reflection will suffice to show us that the apostle is not speaking here of the great broad truth of “the resurrection of the dead,” inasmuch as everyone must rise again. But there was something specific before the heart of this dear servant of Christ, namely, “a resurrection FROM AMONG the dead” — an eclectic resurrection — a resurrection formed on the model of Christ’s resurrection. It was for this he longed continually. This was the bright and blessed hope that shone upon his soul and cheered him on amid the sorrows and trials, the toils and the difficulties, the buffetings and the conflicts of his extraordinary career.

But it may be asked, “Does the apostle always use this distinguishing little preposition (‘ek’) when speaking of resurrection?” Not always. A quick survey of New Testament passages will show this, though we can only pick one here. Turn, for example, to Acts 24:15:

And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Here, there is no single word to indicate the Christian or heavenly side of the subject, for the simplest possible reason that the apostle was speaking to those who were utterly incapable of entering into the Christian’s proper hope — far more incapable than even the disciples in Mark 9. How could he possibly bare his mind on such subject matter in the presence of such men as Tertullus, Ananias, and Felix? How could he speak to them of his own specific and fondly cherished hope? No; he could only take his stand on the great broad truth of resurrection, common to all orthodox Jews. Had he spoken of a “resurrection from among the dead,” he could not have added the words, “which they themselves also allow,” for they did not “allow” anything of the kind.

But oh! what a contrast between this precious servant of Christ, defending himself from his accusers in Acts 24, and baring his heart to his beloved brethren in Philippians 3! To the latter he can speak of the true Christian hope in the full-orbed light which the glory of Christ pours upon it. He can give utterance to the inmost thoughts, feelings, and aspirations of the great, large, loving heart, with its earnest throbbings after the life-resurrection in which he will be satisfied as he wakes up in the likeness of his blessed Lord (Psalm 17:15).

In this special season, may we also walk with this longing for a life-resurrection made possible by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus! May the prototype resurrection of our peerless Saviour create a longing in our hearts to be clothed with our heavenly bodies and to wait for the voice of the archangel and the trump of God which will serve as the harbinger of our upward call yonder at the Rapture (1 Thes. 4:16).

Your brother,

Louis Akanimo