John 5:21, 28-29
21 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
28 Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”
Gospel on ‘Raise Up’
John 6: 39-40, 44-45, 53-54
39” And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”
44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’
53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Difference between Rise Up and Raise Up Biblically
Rise and Raise were both used in different forms, like ‘rise from poverty’ or’ raised up by parents with good discipline’. In our Gospel, ‘Rise’ was used implying – to assume an upright position (involuntary on their own) from lying, asleep, or death. On the other hand, ‘Raise’ was used implying that someone will help them not only to stand up but to be lifted up.
Rise in the above Gospel v.28 is ‘ekporeuomai’ in Greek which means ‘to come out’. ‘Raise’ in John 5:21 is ‘egeiro’ in Greek which means ‘to wake them up’. However, ‘Raise’ in John 6:39, 40, 44, and 54 is ‘anistemi’ in Greek which means ‘to be lifted up’.
The Question: Who is going to rise up or be raised up on the Last Day?
According to John 5:28-29, Everyone, all who are in their graves, bad and good will ‘RISE UP’. “All will come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” At the same time, NOT ALL will ‘be raised up’ or ‘be lifted up’. ONLY those who look to the Son, Christ Jesus, and believe in Him shall be lifted up to Heaven by Christ Himself, to have eternal life with Him. This is clear in the Scripture according to Saint Paul.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 says something about ‘‘Christ’s Believers Who Have Fallen asleep or Died’;
13 “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise (anistemi in Greek) first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
We have to take note that Saint Paul used the word ‘anistemi’ for ‘rise' in v.16 and not ‘ekporeuomai’. It is clear in v.17 that there will be lifting up to the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Saint Paul Epistle to Thessalonians was supported by Saint John in the Book of Revelation 14:14-16
Revelation 14:14-16
Reaping the Earth’s Harvest
14 “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come [j]for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.”
There will be certainly lifting up to meet Jesus who is sitting on the clouds. Jesus will not come down on earth at the Reaping of The Harvest. Jesus will come only after the Closed Door Wedding Banquet in Heaven as a Husband with His Wife, those whom He raised up. (Matt. 25:1-6) He will come down. Raising up His believers means also saving from GOD’s wrath (Matt. 22:1-14).
Revelation 21:2-3 says;
2 “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”
After the punishment of those who did evil, that is the time Christ Jesus will dwell in the New Earth to meet those who survived the punishment. But to those who did good but had no relationship with Jesus, who did believe in their own righteousness, they will still be rewarded for their good deeds on earth. But, they will not be greatly Heavenly rewarded. The righteousness of man falls short to the requirement of GOD. Unless you seek and declare that Jesus is your righteousness as a gift of GOD, then the Promise IN Heaven shall not be added onto you, (1 Cor. 1:30, Matt. 6:33). Also, Matthew 5:20 says; “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” The only way to be raised up to Heaven is to exceed human righteousness by declaring Christ Jesus as our righteousness, holiness, and redemption through His works in us.
1 Corinthians 15:51-56 says,
51 “Behold, I tell you a ]mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
AMEN.
Comments