The Second Resurrection

The Second Resurrection

The Second Resurrection—the sole true physical resurrection in mass from the dead—is a divine gift bestowed upon those who love Him. It is the last and only group resurrection event of the dead. It offers a second chance to be like Jesus Christ, Eph. 4:13, whom every person must meet to gain eternal life. 

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

We do not own or have full control over our souls (Ecc 9:11), given by God at birth, according to Ezekiel 18:4, which reveals the true ownership of every soul that has ever existed. It also clearly demonstrates the consequences of all who sin and fall short of God’s glory.

Ecc 9:11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Ezk 18:4  Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Those who, through faith, love the Lord with all their being, yet fail to live entirely for Him in both spirit and body, will ultimately perish in sin, Rom 6:23. 

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

But we have a redeemer who will redeem us even from the grave. Those who die in love and faithfulness will be resurrected. In that resurrection, they will have a final chance to live a life of triumph in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God has made it possible for every person who loves Him to attain eternal life. Malachi 3:16-18 provides the evidence and answers the question of what happens to us after death.

Mal 3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Mal 3:17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Jesus tells us to take up our cross daily, Luke 9:23 and Paul tells us that we die daily, 1 Corinthians 15:31. Each day, we stand before Jesus, our Lord, in judgment, as He watches over us. 

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

The Word (scripture) is the standard by which we are evaluated daily, but the formal execution of that judgment occurs on the last day.

Our sins are defined as our unrighteous actions. Before our death, our works determine our worthiness of judgment. We are considered sinners because, despite being included in the resurrection, we have died due to our sins. Death occurs because we fail to serve God according to His standards and commands. As servants, we are judged righteous or wicked, meaning we either serve Him completely or not at all.

God regards those who love Him as precious jewels in His eyes. As mentioned in Malachi 3:17, those who are considered His jewels have already accounted for their works in their first life by dying in sin. This understanding is made clear in Ezekiel 18:4 and 20, as well as in Proverbs 8:36.

Mal 3:17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Ezk 18:4  Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Ezk 18:20  The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Pro 8:36  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Proverbs 8:36 presents a striking picture of God’s authority over His children—an authority that is firm and unwavering, yet not devoid of mercy or unconditional love. Obedience to His commands invites His mercy and reflects our sincere devotion. In turn, God recognizes our faithfulness and loves us as true and obedient children, rewarding us according to the works we have done in this life before we die in Him. 

Ultimately, our choices reveal whom we love most: obedience demonstrates whom we truly serve. If we choose sin and self-centeredness, prioritizing our own desires over God’s, we prove that we love death more than we love Him. Yet, in His mercy, God sees our weaknesses and graciously overlooks our failings, offering those who love Him a second chance in the Second Resurrection.

After the resurrection, after the thousand years of waiting in the grave of the book of God’s remembrance (Mal 3:16), the worthy dead will be resurrected into a new world dedicated to educating and enlightening them with the truth of the gospel of the Lord. This will enable them to fulfill the necessary actions and works to attain eternal life through Jesus Christ. 

Mal 3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

After the resurrection, individuals who have embraced and grasped the education and enlightenment must demonstrate their newfound knowledge through trials and tribulations once more, proving their worthiness to receive the Lamb’s Book of Life. Revelation 20:12, which occurs after the dead are resurrected, provides the answer to what we will be judged for during that time.

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Their works, which the resurrected account for, are committed after the second resurrection.  Revelation 20:15 explains the outcome:

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The Lake of Fire is the same fire, referred to as everlasting fire in Matthew 25:41.

Matthew 25:41 states, Then he will also say to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed ones, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Simply put, the Lake of Fire is the end of existence for anything and everything. It is where the dead go into nothingness. Biblically, it is termed as vanity or nothingness.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Ecclesiastes 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:8  Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

Written by: Charles E. Cohenour Jr., a servant of God.