LESSON EIGHTEEN

PROPHECIES
CONCERNING THE BELIEVERS—
BEING RESURRECTED,
RAPTURED, AND JUDGED

OUTLINE

1. The resurrection of the believers:
   1. Being the resurrection of life.
   2. The dead believers awaiting resurrection in Paradise, which is in Hades:
      1. The out-resurrection being a reward to the dead overcomers through all the generations.
      2. The majority of believers who died throughout all the generations being resurrected.
2. The rapture of the believers:
   1. Being before the great tribulation:
      1. The dead overcomers being raptured to God’s throne in the third heaven.
      2. The living mature believers being raptured to the heavenly Mount Zion.
      3. The rest of the living overcomers being raptured to Christ’s presence.
   2. Being at the end of the great tribulation:
      1. The majority of the living believers in this age and the majority of the dead believers through all the generations being raptured to the air.
      2. Including the rapture of those who are martyred during the great tribulation.
3. The judgment of the believers at the judgment seat of Christ:
   1. Receiving the things done through the body according to what they have practiced, whether good or bad.
   2. Giving an account of themselves to God for the Lord to settle accounts with them.
   3. Being examined by the Lord that the praise may be to each one from God.
   4. The reward being with the Lord to render to each one according to his work.
   5. Some receiving a reward:
      1. Building with gold, silver, and precious stones.
      2. Serving the saints out of one’s own will for the building.
      3. Denying the self, bearing the cross, and following the Lord.
      4. Pursuing toward the goal.
      5. Not casting away our boldness.
      6. Being faithful and prudent—set by the Master over His household to give them food at the proper time.
      7. Making use of gifts faithfully.
   6. Some suffering loss:
      1. Building with wood, grass, and stubble.
      2. Thinking that the Lord will delay His coming, beginning to beat the fellow slaves, and eating and drinking with the drunken.
      3. Not making use of gifts faithfully.

TEXT

Due to the fall, mankind’s only expectation is death. All those who are apart from Christ have no hope and are without God in the world (Eph. 2:12). However, the believers’ life is full of hope, not only for the Lord’s coming but also to be resurrected and to be raptured. When the Lord comes back, there will be resurrection and rapture, and He will set up His judgment seat in the air to judge His believers. Concerning the believers’ resurrection, rapture, and judgment in the future, the revelation in the New Testament is both clear and strong. In this lesson we shall see prophecies in the Bible concerning the believers’ resurrection, rapture, and judgment. All believers should be concerned with the truth revealed in these prophecies.

I. THE RESURRECTION OF THE BELIEVERS

The Christian life is closely related to resurrection. A believer experiences being raised up together with Christ at the time of his salvation; this is the resurrection of the spirit (John 5:25; Eph. 2:1, 5-6; Col. 2:13). Furthermore, a believer’s hope for the future also depends on resurrection, that is, the resurrection of the body. Paul says, “If it is only that we have hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Cor. 15:19). The Christian life is completely different from the life of fallen mankind, which is a life without hope. The hope of the Christian life depends on the resurrection brought in at the Lord’s coming.

A. Being the Resurrection of Life

John 5:28-29 says, “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming in which all in the tombs will hear His voice and will come forth: those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have practiced evil, to the resurrection of judgment.” These verses reveal two kinds of physical resurrections. One is the resurrection of life, that is, the resurrection of the saved believers before the millennium (Rev. 20:4, 6; 1 Cor. 15:23, 52; 1 Thes. 4:16). All dead believers will be resurrected at the return of the Lord Jesus to enjoy eternal life. Hence, this resurrection is called the resurrection of life. The resurrection of judgment refers to the resurrection of the unbelievers after the millennium (Rev. 20:5, 12). All the dead unbelievers will be resurrected after the millennium to be judged at the great white throne and to be sentenced to eternal perdition (vv. 11-15). Hence, this resurrection is called the resurrection of judgment. The resurrection of the believers is the resurrection of life, not the resurrection of judgment.