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.

The Answer to Matthew 27:52-53

Matthew’s story involves several events that are mutually exclusive or occur in a specific sequence.

These events were written from Matthew’s firsthand experience, and some were recounted to Matthew by other witnesses.  Numerous individuals witnessed these events from diverse perspectives at various times.

Matthew’s story was written long after the crucifixion and was compiled from information gathered from approximately five or more witnesses.

According to this passage, the events are not in chronological order, which is crucial for comprehending this account of the crucifixion story. This passage presents a meticulously crafted historical account of the various events that occurred during the crucifixion. It explores the reactions of people during Matthew’s time and highlights the profound impact of Christ’s death, particularly the spiritual resurrection described in Matthew 27:52-53, which emphasizes the significance of his resurrection.

This story explores the profound tragedy of our Savior’s death and its profound impact on the future of the people and nation during that era. Matthew employs a unique literary technique called free-flowing prose, specifically a Stream of Consciousness, which serves as a form of Indirect Internal Dialogue. This dialogue enables Matthew to shift the topic and insert Matthew 27:52-53 to acknowledge the immediate benefits and power of Jesus’ resurrection, which Matthew later witnessed on the Day of Pentecost. Through this technique, Matthew conveys to the reader the direct connection between Jesus’ resurrection and the resurrection of the saints in Christ.

A truthful examination of the facts and an understanding of the underlying principles lead to this conclusion. According to Matthew, the resurrection of saints is a spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit. This aligns with the account of this resurrection on the Day of Pentecost, which Matthew himself witnessed and preached.

No Old Testament Worthy individuals resurrected after Jesus’ resurrection were OTW individuals, and the concept of a pre-resurrection is a myth. The truth is that the doctrine of the OTW resurrection, currently taught as a physical resurrection of the saints mentioned in Hebrew 11 and Matthew 27:52-53, is a false doctrine.

Did God Release Satan From The Curse?

Was satan so powerful he broke the curse God placed upon him? Or did God release him from the curse?

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Genesis 3:14 declares that the curse placed upon the Serpent is as much a death sentence as the curse of death is for Adam and Eve and all of humanity in Gen 3:19. 

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

The reason God mentioned the animals is that the angel became less than the animals, whose spirits would return to the earth. The serpent, on the other hand, became less the same as an animal in spirit. 

Ecc 3:21  Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

The angels that followed the Serpent the devil, are called  “his angels” and are sentenced to die in the Lake of Fire, which represents eternal death or becoming nonexistent, as if they were never created. 

Matthew 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Revelation 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The serpent and his angels were “cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field.”

Because Adam was formed from the dust and every living creature beast and cattle was formed from the earth.

Gen 1:24  And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Gen 13:16  And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

To comprehend the curse imposed upon the serpent and its angels, it was decreed that the curse would both extend and restrict their lifespan. The serpent was cursed to live until there was no more dust to consume. Consequently, the serpent and its angels were destined to feed on the dust, which symbolized mankind, to sustain their existence. Consuming dust became their sole sustenance, devoid of any possibility of forgiveness or repentance.

As long as there are humans who sin, the serpent and its angels will persist. The serpent’s existence depends on humans who haven’t overcome their sins. Their curse is tied to the lifespan of mankind living in sin. Humanity serves as the sustenance for the angels, and they will pursue their desires until the end of the 1000-year reign.

The curse does not physically restrict the angel’s travel or movements in any way. They are free to be wherever humans can be or travel to. The angels are connected to humanity as an anchor is to a ship. I believe the devil’s deepest wish is that humanity will continue to produce offspring. More babies mean a longer life for the serpent and his angels who follow after him. This is why he doesn’t want humanity to overcome. Overcomers don’t have children and are not human mortals capable of sinning. Overcomers are not dust.

The angel (Satan) possesses no more supernatural power than any other angelic being created by God. While he shares the same abilities as other heavenly angels, his existence is granted and governed by God. His power is a mere afterthought or a fleeting consideration, in the manifestation of God’s will. 

When the Lord permitted Job to be tempted and tested, He allowed Satan to employ any conceivable means to break him, except for the ultimate act of killing him. This was a unique occurrence, and Satan did not possess extraordinary supernatural powers beyond which God had granted him at that time. The only other instance that mentions supernatural abilities by Satan, which even comes close to experiencing a similar temptation, is with Jesus Himself during His wilderness trial.

Fallen angels can only influence humans through the same means as the Lord does—through His words and ideas conveyed through any available communication channels. That is his power; he is the prince and power of the air.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

God has never released the fallen angel or his angels from the curse that was placed upon them. There is no redeemer for a fallen angel and no repentence nor a redeemer for their kind. Satan and his angels have been sentenced to death and is struggling to keep mankind producing more and more babies. He must stop mankind from overcoming at any cost and is influencing the children of disobedience every single moment of his lingering existence.

He is not our greatest adversary; we are our own greatest enemy. The Old Man possesses more power than any fallen angel. However, the Old Man is the fallen angel’s closest ally. The Old Man was the first man the angel ever conversed with, influencing her to commit wrongdoings.

Written by: Charles E. Cohenour Jr.

God is never simply labeled “the Enemy of Israel”

The word “Satan” in the Bible carries a specific connotation, associated with particular deeds and desires that are inherently evil, immoral, and intended to lead to sin committed by a distinct individual. These actions are contrary to the individual’s best interests and are adversarial. The Hebrew word for adversary is “satan.”

It refers to a sinful heart with self-centered intent of that individual within the context of where it is written.. “Satan” is a name or title used in context wherever it appears to denote such. 

God is never simply labeled “the Enemy of Israel” as a fixed title or an inherent part of His nature. While His actions may be hostile, they are a form of disciplinary correction meant to bring about repentance and restoration, similar to a Father disciplining His children. God was never the enemy, but he was/is a righteous divine Judge.

 God’s love for Israel is best understood within the context of the Mosaic Covenant, the agreement between God and Israel at Mount Sinai. 

The covenant (found in books like Leviticus and Deuteronomy) laid out blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Key passages like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 explicitly state that if Israel is persistently unfaithful, God will bring upon them the curses of the covenant, including military defeat, famine, and exile, often by using foreign nations as His instrument.

God is not a capricious enemy; God is the righteous judge enforcing the terms of the covenant that Israel themselves agreed to. His actions, while hostile, are a form of disciplinary correction intended to bring about repentance and restoration.  

I firmly believe that Satan does not make anyone believe or do anything. 

However, God can employ Satan to fulfill His desire for punishment or testing of nations and individuals.

Satan, the fallen angel in the Garden of Eden, disguised as an angel of light, called the Serpent by Eve and the tree of knowledge of good and evil by the Lord, did not MAKE Eve or Adam to do anything. 

Satan’s sole act was to present Eve with an alternative way of life, a different perspective, and a different interpretation of the law given to them by the Lord. This alternative outcome was crafted through the words given as fruit to eat and be absorbed into their minds.

Eve, misguided and believing, shared her knowledge of good and evil with her husband, Adam. Upon hearing her words, Adam disregarded the source of this knowledge,  Satan or the tree of good and evil, and willingly accepted it. He sinned to please Eve instead of God. In response to the fruit he accepted, he made her a dress.

Mankind learned from God and Satan.  Mankind learns from mankind.  God was the first influencer and Satan copied God as an influencer and has never stopped influencing.

Satan, the first influencer of his kind, has the power of words and emotion to influence humans to do their own bidding and make self-centered decisions. 

His influence is behind every false teaching and every disturbance against God’s will.  The sinner rejects the will of our heavenly Father and accepts the will of another sinful Father, Satan, doing whatever they please.

God has never influenced or tempted any saint or potential saint to do wrong. God is our Judge, not our adversary nor enemy.