I would be interested in knowing your thoughts concerning the when the resurrection of those saints that were saved through the "gospel of the kingdom" will be and what type of body will they have.
Like I tell everyone who asks me what my take or opinion on something from the Word, I tell them that I believe that the Bible is right, so here is what I see from the bible verses as I study the bible rightly divided and compare scripture with scripture and put the verses together.
When it comes to those "kingdom saints," they will be resurrected when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth in His 2nd Advent in Israel here on earth. (They are those who were saved by believing the gospel of the kingdom during and after the Lord's earthly ministry—in the book of Acts before Paul, as well as before the Lord appeared, but who were righteous by keeping the Law of Moses in the Old Testament.)
An example of Old Testament saints is John the Baptist’s parents who believed God before the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom...
Luke 1:5-6
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Here's what the prophet Daniel says about that time after the Tribulation period and time of Jacob's trouble when the Lord comes back to earth to set up His kingdom...
Daniel 12:1-2
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
This time of resurrection for those who get into the earthly kingdom is also known in scripture as the "resurrection of life," or the "resurrection of the just" in scripture. Look at what our Lord told Israel in John 5.
John 5:28-29
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Here, although the Lord did not elaborate on the timing of these two resurrections, He does however mention that there will be one to life, and one to damnation.
This concept of resurrection of the just and unjust was so common amongst the Jews that even our own Apostle Paul mentions these two resurrections in Acts 24.
Acts 24:15
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
However, it is not known that these two resurrections will both actually take place apart from each other after His 2nd Advent to Israel and then 1,000 years later. Look at Revelation 20.
Revelation 20:4-6
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
So the resurrection of life/of the just/first resurrection will be all those Old Testament saints who died in faith in time past and include those who trusted Christ's gospel of the kingdom. They will be resurrected and given the kingdom as soon as the Lord returns to set up His kingdom, but all the lost will not be resurrected until 1,000 years later at the Great White throne Judgment!
So as far as those Old Testament/gospel of the kingdom saints...they ALL will come back with the Lord at His second coming to Israel and be resurrected right away and rule and reign with Him in His kingdom during that 1,000 Millennium period and for all eternity!
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Now, what type of body will they have?
For that answer, we need to look to our Apostle Paul. In 1 Corinthians, our Apostle deals with physical resurrection, including what type of bodies we and Israel will have...
1 Corinthians 15:35-44
But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
Here our Apostle deals with the question of what type of body the dead have when they are raised up. He says in verse 42-44 that those who are resurrected have an "incorruptible," spiritual body that has power and glory.
To this agree all of Israel's prophets including both Daniel and John, who both speak of this end time resurrection on the earth!
Daniel 12:2-3
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Here, those saints who get into the kingdom will be glorified, or bear the same glory in their bodies as our Lord Jesus Christ! [cf. Matthew 17:2] They will shine as the brightness of the firmament that is like the stars of heaven!
Look at what our Lord says to Israel during His earthly kingdom...
Matthew 13:43
Then [at His return] shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Here they will shine as the sun...just like our Lord did after His resurrection!
Israel's Apostle John says the same in 1 John.
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Notice that they will be "like Him."
Hopefully this
helps...Maranatha!
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