There were glimpses of the resurrection found in the Old Testament, but not a comprehensive doctrine as it is presented in the New Testament. Jesus brought understanding of life and immortality through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10). Jesus made visible, by the Gospel, what had been hidden in God’s purpose.
The first century Sadducees denied the resurrection. However, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection and an eternal life in paradise (Acts 23:6-9). On one occasion the Sadducees challenged Jesus with their conflicting logic (Matt. 22:23-33). Jesus clearly rejected the Sadducees’ position by his use of (Exodus 3:6) to affirm that God is the God of the living. We would not know the full implication of this passage had not the Lord explained them to us. Exodus 3:6 reads, “Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
In commenting on this passage to prove the resurrection of the dead, Jesus said, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living“. They should have understood that the patriarch’s bodies may have returned to dust but they were alive to continue service to God.In Genesis 5:24, Enoch passed from this earth directly to the presence of the Lord, which is probably the first recorded indication of a life beyond this life.
Most scholars believe that the book of Job is from the patriarchal period and therefore, is a very early book. Job asked the question, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14: 14). Later he came to a conclusion recorded in Job 19:25-27, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
David spoke of his own belief in a life after death in words that prophesied Jesus’ death and resurrection in Psalm 16:9-11, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore”. The words that the body would not be in the grave long enough to decay is prophetic of Jesus’ short stay in the tomb (Friday evening to Sunday dawn).
David further expressed his belief in Psalm 17:15 and Psalm 49:15. He also indicated that his dead son still lived in a place prepared by God and that someday he would go there also. Also in 2 Samuel 12:23, “But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
Isaiah spoke of the destruction of the power of death in chapters 25 and 26. “He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:8) “Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.” (Isaiah 26:19)
Daniel writes of both the resurrection and judgement, “…And at that time your people shall be delivered, Everyone who is found written in the book.” (Daniel 12:1-2)“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Philippians 4:3)
In Hosea 13:14, the prophet is clear that the need for graves will be ended, “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”
This is explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:52-55, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal mustput on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY., ‘O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?’”
Each one of us needs to question our faith to determine our belief in the resurrection. The final destination of our spirit will depend on that belief.
