A BETTER RESURRECTION
A BETTER RESURRECTION
“Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.” (Hebrews 11:35)
AS YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD
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“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2)
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“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 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.” (John 5:28-29)
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“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. 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 first. 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
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These Scriptures could easily be multiplied. Obviously “all that are in their graves will hear his voice and come out.”
HOW THEN WILL SOME “GAIN” A BETTER RESURRECTION?
As we have said: “Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.” (Hebrews 11:35)
While “all” will be resurrected “some” will gain a better resurrection. What does this mean? While we cannot be dogmatic about our answer, it is still something worth considering.
The Greek word translated as “gain” is “tunchano”. It literally means to “hit the mark”! If you are shooting at a target “tunchano” means to hit the bullseye. The Bible word for “sin” is “hamartia” which means to “miss the mark.”
In our text those who “hit the mark” were tortured for Christ and “refused to be released.”
Perhaps this is what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he wrote to the Philippians about seeking to “somehow to attain unto the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:11) This is obviously a different resurrection from the general resurrection that will happen to “all who are in their graves”.
Paul explained to the Philippians that he considered all of his earthly achievements as rubbish that he might he might obtain the righteousness that comes from God by faith. He continued: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,
becoming like him in his death, and so to somehow attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)
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Note that the book of Hebrews associated the “better resurrection” with those who were tortured and refused to be released.
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This is precisely describes Jesus. He too was tortured and refused to be released.
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Paul’s desire involved suffering for he wanted to “know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering.”
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The normal Greek word for “resurrection” is “anastasis.” It comes from “ana” (up) and “histemi” (to stand). The word for resurrection literally means to “stand up again”.
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As we have mentioned, there is no need to “gain” this resurrection. Everyone, both good and bad, will experience this resurrection.
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Paul however, wanted to “somehow attain to the resurrection of the dead.” In this instance he used a different word for resurrection. To describe this “resurrection” he sought to “attain” he used the word “exanastasis”. This is the regular word for resurrection with the word “ek” in front of it. The word “ek” means “from” or “out of”. Thus the word “exanastasis” apparently refers to a special resurrection that is “from” or “out of” the normal resurrection experienced by others.
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This is the only time this word “exanastasis” is used in the Bible.
MARTYRS ARE SPECIAL TO GOD
We should not be surprised that different people will receive different rewards. Jesus told His disciples: “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42)
Our word “martyr” comes from the Greek word “martus” which means witness. It is used of those who “witnessed” the resurrection of Jesus and suffered and died for testifying to what they had seen.
It seems that martyrs are placed in a special category by God:
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“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.” (Revelation 6:9-11)
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“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11)
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“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not
received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4)
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We should not be surprised, therefore, if God gives special rewards to martyrs. Perhaps a part of their special reward will be the “better resurrection” mentioned in Hebrews 11:35!
WE ARE NOT TO DELIBERATELY SEEK MARTYRDOM
The true disciples of Jesus do not fear death, and yet are not to deliberately seek martyrdom. Jesus told them: “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.” (Matthew 10:14) Jesus continued: “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.” (Matthew 10:23)
Paul himself followed these instructions:
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When Paul and Barnabas were persecuted in Antioch “They shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.” (Acts 13:51)
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When the people of Iconium planned to mistreat and stone them Paul and Barnabas “found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the good news.” (Acts 14:6-7)
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At Lystra “Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside of the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.” (Acts 14:19-20)
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Paul wanted to attain to a better resurrection but he did not deliberately seek to be a martyr!
PAUL’S VIEW OF DEATH
Jesus said: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather. Be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) Paul certainly did not fear death or those who wanted to put him to death. The fact that martyrs do not fear death is actually a warning to those who persecute them. From his prison in Rome Paul wrote this to the Philippians: “Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed but that you will be saved – and that by God.” (Philippians 1:28)
Paul had already explained to the Philippians his thoughts about death. He wrote: “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.” (Philippians 1:20-26)
Paul was released from prison around A.D. 62-63, but was again arrested around A.D. 67-68. This time Paul knew he was going to be executed and wrote to Timothy: “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
The Bible does not tell us about the death of Paul but tradition states that he was beheaded by the Emperor Nero around A.D. 68. Perhaps God did answer his prayer and enable him to attain unto a better resurrection!
SOME PEOPLE ARE BORN TO BE MARTYRS
The primary example of this, of course, is Jesus!
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Jesus was destined to die as a martyr before the creation of the world (1 Peter 1:18-20). •
Jesus warned Peter years in advance that he would experience a death that would glorify God (John 21:18-19).
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James, the brother of John, was put to death by the sword by wicked King Herod (Acts 12:1-3). Yet God sent an angel to deliver Peter from the same fate (Acts 12:3-19).
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God is Sovereign and allows some to be delivered from the lions, and others to be eaten by the lions. Yet they “all” were commended for their faith (Hebrews 11:32-40).
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Job said it beautifully: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.” (Job 13:15)
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No matter what happens to you: “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
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No matter what God calls us to do “My brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling an election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 2:10-11)
THE PRAYER REQUEST OF JESUS
It is quite common to ask if anyone has any special prayer requests. If you ask that question to Jesus He might repeat this prayer request he gave to His disciples: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38)
In response to that prayer request let us say with Isaiah: “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)