Easter Points to Advent

The Resurrection of Christ leads to the Second Advent of Christ

Last week, Easter week, I finally noticed how much St. Paul links the Resurrection of Christ to the Second Advent of Christ. Yes, sometimes it takes me upteen times of reading the Bible to notice something not hidden at all in the Bible.

That prompted me to write the following for Stand Firm. It is no longer Easter Week, but it is still the Easter season. So I repost the article below (with some editing and an addition) in hope it will assist you in rejoicing in the Resurrection of Christ and in strengthening your assurance of his Second Advent.

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I oft say that one reason to keep on studying the Scriptures is that sometimes the upteenth time one reads a passage, one notices something missed all those times before. That has just happened to me yet again this Easter Week. I may be slow, but I am persistent.

In St. Paul’s epistles, 1st Corinthians 15 is the chapter that most focuses on the importance of the Resurrection of Christ to our faith. He writes that our Christian faith is really pointless if Christ did not rise from the dead. But he did rise from the dead, and over 500 were eyewitnesses to the risen Christ. This is reassuring and familiar to me as it is to many of you.

What I had overlooked is how that chapter links the Resurrection of Christ to the Second Coming of Christ. Beginning at verse 20 (KJV):

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Probably familiar, even beloved, verses so far. They are even sung in Handel’s Messiah. But the immediately following verses might not be as familiar:

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Christ rose from the dead, not to get out of here and be done with us awful humans who murdered him — although who would blame him if did? He defeated death and rose again to defeat death for us and to raise us again “at his coming”, at his Second Coming. Then Christ completes his conquest, his putting “down all rule and all authority and power” contrary to his Lordship. And having conquered death in his Resurrection, he then destroys death at his Second Advent. All this flows from his Resurrection.

Later in the chapter comes another passage associated with the Second Coming — and sung in five movements of Handel’s Messiah. Beginning at verse 51:

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’ve read and heard this passage often, and not only because of Handel. But I easily forget that this comes towards the end of 1st Corinthians 15. Yes, I always remember St. Paul wrote this. And, much preferring life to death, I look forward to Christ returning and raising me. But I’ve missed that his long discussion of the Resurrection of Christ and of the coming resurrection of his people leads into this passage. In the mind of the Apostle, Christ rising from the dead leads to him coming again and raising us up “at the last trump.” And so it should be in our minds. But slow people like me might need a few Easters to see that.

Another well known passage from St. Paul about the Second Coming is 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NASB95):

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

An interesting passage even if you do not believe in the pre-Tribulation Rapture. (And I do not. I think these verses tell what will occur at Christ’s Second Coming.) It is so interesting that it is easy to miss “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” Again, Paul has Christ’s victory over death through the cross and the empty tomb as leading to his Second Coming. And because Christ has loved us and defeated death for us, he will raise us up when he “will descend from heaven with a shout.”

If I’m reading this (and Rev. 19:14) right, we, having been risen, even get to participate in his Second Coming. It all flows from his amazing love for us and his world changing Resurrection from the dead.

We’ve only begun to explore this glorious truth. More passages could be examined. And since I posted this on Stand Firm, the lectionary of my Anglican Office Book, instituted by the Lord himself, had me read Revelation 1:4-18. St. John sees the risen Christ in glory and is a bit overwhelmed, falling “at his feet like a dead man.” Note how Jesus gently responds in verses 17 and 18 (KJV).

And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

That Christ has conquered death for us is reason to “fear not.” The victory of his Resurrection and his risen glory continues now and forever to and through his Second Coming, transcending our weakness, our fear, and our mortality. “I am . . . I am . . . I am.”

So Easter is far more than a happy reversal and conclusion to the Passion of our Lord. Christ’s Resurrection, like his Incarnation, is far more than a past event. It is a present and eternal reality that God is making our reality. The church gets to share in the Resurrection. God has made and will make Christ’s victory over death our victory as well. “God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.” (1st Corinth. 6:14 NASB95) “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus…” (2nd Corinth. 4:14) We believe this by faith now — a faith based on God acting in history, mind you. We will fully and gloriously experience this at Christ’s Second Coming and in the age to come thereafter.

And the Resurrection of Christ does lead to that Second Coming. No resurrection, no second coming. But Christ is raised from the dead, giving assurance he will keep his promise to return in glory.

All this “according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Eph 1:19-21 ESV) Yes, that last phrase, “also in the one to come,” yet again connects Christ’s Resurrection to his Second Advent.

What can we say to all this but “thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”

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photo: old Bob Hall Pier, Corpus Christi, Texas, taken by the author