Understanding the Gospel, Part 3: Resurrection Belief in the OT
Twice a month I host a bible study and the latest one centered on the topic of the glorification of the body in resurrection. When we looked at this passage in John’s gospel, it peaked interest down the table.
John 11:21-24 21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Many were surprised that Mary held the belief that the dead were resurrected at the culmination of time. The idea, that Jewish people who lived before Jesus’s own death and resurrection had a concept of resurrection, was foreign to them. I too never considered this until it was pointed out to me somewhere along the line of study.
So what we will look at today is how and where the Old Testament, or Hebrew Scriptures, reference and hold to a doctrine of resurrection from the dead; the foundational understanding that New Testament authors based their teachings on, expounding further with the work of Christ.
Genesis
All roads lead to Genesis, more or less. And the book of Genesis is where we see our first brush with resurrection in the bible, implicitly anyway.
Genesis 22:9When they arrived at the place God had designated, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, atop the wood. 10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.11Just then the angela of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.12“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.b”13Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ramc in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide.d So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
Here Abraham has such a strong conviction in the ability and provision of God, that he is actually going to kill his own son. Abraham has some internal hope that supersedes even death. But it not until the author of Hebrews in the NT tells us what that hope was.
Hebrews 11:17-19 17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,c 18even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”d 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
Abraham had a category for Resurrection in his mind. He reasoned it out for himself somehow, and believed it to be true. No wonder his faith was counted to him as righteousness! This was a turning point in the faith journey of Abraham no doubt. Prior to Isaac’s birth, he struggled to believe that God could even bring life from Sarah’s barren womb, so much so, he took Sarah’s slave and conceived a child through her to bring about God’s promise his own way. However, God persisted with Abraham and Sarah, and eventually brought life from her dead womb in the form of Isaac. Perhaps it was Isaac’s life from the dead womb that created the foundation for Abrahams doctrine of resurrection, that God could bring life from death. Any life from any death. Abraham had hope in this power of God, calling it Provision. Provision of life from death, life over death, life instead of death. And here we see the underlaying meaning of substitutional sacrifice. The life of the ram swallows up the death of the son. The death of the offering brings freedom and life to the bound up heir.
From here, other OT writers expound upon the idea of resurrection. The next author, Job, could be argued to come before Genesis 22. The book of Job has been considered by some to precede all the writings of the OT by 400 years. If that is true, Job must also have reasoned the way Abraham had done or perhaps Job was a contemporary of Abraham, and there was a cultural inference they knew of that we simply aren’t aware of. Wither way, let’s see what Job says.
Job 14:7-17 7For there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its tender shoots will not fail.8If its roots grow old in the ground and its stump dies in the soil,9at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.10But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?11As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,12so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.13If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!14When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewala comes.15You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.16For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.17My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.
Job 19: 25-27 25But I know that my Redeemera lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.b 26Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. 27I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearnsd within me!
Job 33:29Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times, 30to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
Hope is a major theme. If a tree can die and come back to life, then so must man.
Job had a category for ‘the end’ and being ‘awakened’
Renewal language. A time when God calls his desired and forgives completely. Destroyed flesh will yet see God along with a Soul brought back from the Pit.
the Redeemer is responsible for this
Isaiah 25:1, 6-8 1O LORD, You are my God! I will exalt You; I will praise Your name. For You have worked wonders—plans formed long ago—in perfect faithfulness...6On this mountain the LORD of Hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all the peoples, a feast of aged wine, of choice meat, of finely aged wine.7On this mountain He will swallow up the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;8He will swallow up death forever.aThe Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every faceband remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth.
Isaiah 26:19-21 19Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead. 20Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed.21For behold, (YaHWeH) is coming out of His dwelling to (visit, register, punish) the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.
Isaiah tells us this was a plan formed long ago
God will swallow up the death shroud; Life swallows death forever
explicit states dead will live; bodies will rise
the earth has an active role of revealing and bringing forth her dead
end language is implied
God is viewed as judge when he comes
Ezekial 37:11-12 11Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13Then you, My people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.’”
Ezekial speaks of hope, rather, lack of hope. All Israel will die and even their bones will become dry
Prophecy for Isreal that their graves open and God will bring them up
God’s Spirit will animate them and give them life again.
Daniel 12:1-3 1“At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress, the likes of which will not have occurred from the beginning of nations until that time. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.a 3Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens,b and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.c 4But you, Daniel, shut up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”
Daniel tells us many will ‘awake’ from their sleep in the dust (death)
some will shine like the stars, the brightness of the heavens, to eternal life
some will awake to eternal contempt
‘End’ language again
Psalm 23: 3He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,bI will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.6Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 91: 14-16 14“Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him.15When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.16With (length of days) I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
Psalm 16:9-11 9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell securely.d10For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.e11You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence,fwith eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
Psalm 22:29 …all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—even those unable to preserve their lives.
Psalm 103:2-5 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—3He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, 4who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,5who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself.
David believed in resurrection personally
eternal life language
future bodily security, rescue from Sheol
Redemption language; redeeming life from the Pit
Renewal language
Hosea 6: 1-2 1Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.2After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.
Hosea 13:14I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death.dWhere, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting?e
Resurrection as healing
Revival language
Third day Resurrection prophecied
Life after death in his presence
Redemption language; redeemed from Death
Death loses it’s victory, it’s grip, it’s power, it’s ‘sting’
So there you have it! Evidence of the Resurrection principle from the Old Testament. Many thanks to James Street of The Master’s Seminary Blog for reminding me of a few scriptures I had forgotten. Seeing these scriptures laid out together, it’s very clear that the OT has the same repeating loop surrounding the resurrection.
a death > a redeeming > a renewal of soul and body > an awakening > a raising > an eternal living … and somewhere in that timeline there is' ‘the end’ whether it takes place before or after the redeeming I can’t quite determine. It appears that the “now and not yet” concept is at play in this.
death>redemption(Christ’s work on the cross)>renewal of soul>the end>renewal of bodies>awakening>raising>eternal life/death’s death
So, it seems as Abraham and David surmised long ago and as I have surmised in study, Life was never intended to be swallowed by Death, rather Death was always intended to be swallowed by Life! This is Good News if I’ve ever heard it.