“There is going to be a resurrection.” – Acts 24:15
[Study 33 From ws 08/20 p.14 October 12 – October 18, 2020]
“there is going to be a resurrection”
The first thing to notice in this Watchtower study article is the subtle shortening of Acts 24:15 without the proper notation that such a shortening has been done. In full Acts 24:15 reads “and I have hope toward God, which hope these [men] themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Now the correct way of quoting from anywhere, especially the Bible, so as not to mislead people as to what the fuller text states, is as follows:
Ideally, and properly it should be “… there is going to be a resurrection …”. At worst it should be “there is going to be a resurrection” as I have used above as a theme for this section, as this would still indicate that the quote is part of a sentence. However, the Watchtower has turned it into a sentence that stands on its own, by starting with a capital letter and ending with a full stop, neither of which exist, and which therefore is misleading. This is from an Organization that claims to carefully research and make multiple checks on its material before publishing it. Quite why the Organization did not want to show “… of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” is unclear.
In paragraph 6 in the midst of three paragraphs of speculation as to how the resurrection will take place, it very briefly mentions “… the majority of those who return to life will be among “the unrighteous.” (Read Acts 24:15.)”. However, it does not examine the righteous or unrighteous categories in any more detail. The way this section is written, without saying directly it perpetuates the supposition taught by the Organization that all resurrected will be imperfect and will have to work towards perfection.
How does that compare with what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:35 onwards? Here Paul wrote the following:
- v35 “Nevertheless, someone will say: “How are the dead to be raised up? Yes, with what sort of body are they coming?”
- v42 “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised up in incorruption.”
Points to note are that the question was raised “What sort of body will the dead who are raised up have?” The answer was “When the dead were alive, they had been born in corruption or imperfection. When the dead are raised up, they will be the opposite of corruption, the opposite of imperfection. They will be raised up perfect and incorrupt. Whether they stay that way depends on them. Remember, mankind who die, have paid the wages of sin by dying, “… but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” according to Romans 6:23.
Contrary to the statement that “It seems that all mankind will gradually grow to perfection during the Thousand Year Reign of Christ”, there is more evidence in the Bible that there will be no need to struggle and work towards perfection hoping it will be granted at the end of up to a thousand years. All will still need to adjust their thinking so as not to fall into sin. There is no scripture that states perfection will be granted at the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ despite the inference at the end of paragraph 9 where the article says “including the raising of mankind to a perfect state” and citing 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, Revelation 20:1-3. The test by Satan mentioned in Revelation 20:7-9 would be an unfair test if those tested were imperfect instead of perfect like Adam and Eve were originally. Especially as the righteous had already been under trial and test before Satan was abyssed (Revelation 12:7-17, Revelation 20:1-3).
In Paragraph 15 the article says “What remarkable wisdom Jehovah has shown by giving us the resurrection hope! By means of it, he disarms Satan of one of his most effective weapons and at the same time arms us with unbreakable courage.”
Is the disarming of one of Satan’s most effective weapons (death) automatic? Of course not. Yes, lovingly Jehovah has given us the resurrection hope, but do we have faith in it? Have we really taken this hope to heart so that “ … you may not sorrow just as the rest also do who have no hope.”? (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).
A good test would be to ask yourself; can you name all the resurrections that the Bible records as happening?
Why not make a list, in chronological order? Then check your list against the resurrections in the articles in the series “The Resurrection Hope, Jehovah’s Guarantee to Mankind” using the following links:
For further reflection on this subject see also the 8 part series “Mankind’s hope for the future, where will it be?”
When Jehovah through his Son resurrects countless millions, WE MAY ASSUME THAT NOT ALL OF THEM WILL COME BACK TO LIFE AT THE SAME TIME. Why not? Because an explosion in the earth’s population would likely cause chaos. And Jehovah never does anything in a disorganized, chaotic way. He knows that for peace to last, order must be maintained. (1 Cor. 14:33) Where is 1 Thessalonians 4: 16,17 when it was needed. No mention of it at all. This paragraph carries only one scripture. Whereas 1 Corinthians 15 carries a similar description of how the ORDER of resurrection will be.… Read more »
There is no clear case in scripture on how billions will be resurrected to the earth.
To say it will likely be in an orderly fashion is reasonable.
Concluding sentence from paragraph 7 goes thus……….NO DOUBT THOSE WHO COME BACK TO LIFE WILL BE DRAWN TO JEHOVAH’S HUMBLE PEOPLE, WHO WILL ALSO BE “WORKING OUT [THEIR] OWN SALVATION.”—Phil. 2:12 The HUMBLE people here are the GREAT CROWD of other sheep who had already owe THEIR SALVATION to the LAMB after coming out of the great tribulation but according to this watchtower article will also be WORKING out the SAME SALVATION for 1000 years again after doing the same for +/- 100 before their initial death. Other sheep will be SAVED TWICE 144,000 will be SAVED ONCE. You wonder… Read more »
(Revelation 20:1-15) . . .And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 And he hurled him into the abyss and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be let loose for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them,… Read more »
I have come to the conclusion that humans have never been “perfect”. Nowhere in the scriptures you will find a definition of a perfect human being. Adam and Eve had developed a desire in their mind (heart?) for something they were told not to eat (law?). The creation was good which can also mean it was good in the way it turned out to be as it was planned. Now, with the resurrection, people are with or without sin. There is no process (scripturally) that supports the idea that one can be cleansed from sin little by little. The WT… Read more »
Thanks Tadua. From that Watchtower article: 13 As we discussed earlier, when Jehovah resurrects people, he will restore their memories and the personality traits that made them who they were. Just think of what that implies. Jehovah loves you so much that he is keeping track of all that you think, feel, say, and do. So if he had to resurrect you, he would easily be able to restore your memories, attitude, and personality traits. King David was aware of just how interested Jehovah is in each one of us. (Read Psalm 139:1-4.) In what way can understanding how well… Read more »
Yes, Jack – “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body …. ” (1 Cor 15:44).
What of those resurrected to the earth?
Do they have a spiritual body or do they have a spirit as David knew he had.
Psalm 31:5) Into your hand I entrust my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Jehovah, the God of truth.
We must take the inspired record as truth. David had what he called “my spirit” therefore we all do. That does not mean our spirit is immortal but it does mean that we are more than the animal creation.
“Into your hand I entrust my spirit,” this is more than the animating force that animates all animals on earth.
Otherwise the spirit of all animals would be entrusted with God something we have no scriptural basis for.
David asked that his spirit be entrusted with God, David himself.