The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Resurrection and Eternal Judgment, #8

And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. (Exodus 25:10,11)

The "gold" of Divine Life will cover the "wood" of our risen physical frame. This is the true nature of the resurrection and glorification of the Christian saint.

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. (I Corinthians 15:52)

Changed in what manner? First, the flesh and bone bodies of the deceased saints will be raised. Second, the flesh and bone bodies of the living saints will be changed. The blood will vanish and in its place will be the resurrection life of the Lord Jesus. Third, the flesh and bone bodies of the saints will be clothed with their house from Heaven.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (I Corinthians 15:53)

It is not a case of a new body coming down from Heaven on our inner man, but of our corruptible, mortal flesh and blood body putting on incorruptible immortality. It is not our inner man that is corruptible and mortal, it is our outward man that is corruptible and mortal. Therefore it is our outward man that is clothed with incorruptible immortality.

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. (I Corinthians 15:54)

The inner man is "swallowed up in victory" as each day we die in the Lord and are raised in resurrection power. We die to the world, to Satan, to our fleshly lusts, and to our self-will. We are raised in the Life of Christ.

The outward man will be "swallowed up in victory" at the last trumpet. The flesh and blood body of sin and death will be changed into a spiritual body and then clothed with our reward from Heaven.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (I Corinthians 15:55)

When we speak of the "grave" we are not referring to the inner man but to the outward man. It is the outward man that is assigned to the grave, and it is the outward man that will come forth and be glorified with incorruptible, eternal life.

The Christians of the first century did not view the purpose of the Christian salvation as being our removal to Heaven to live there forever. Rather, they were taught by the Apostles of the coming of the Kingdom of God. They expected the Lord to return during their lifetime and set up His Kingdom on the earth. The hope of the saints was that they would be changed into immortality and rule in the Kingdom of God on the earth. The concept of going to the spirit realm and living in a "mansion" was unknown to them.

To be continued.