Understanding the Fulfilled View The Resurrection Was a Covenant Resurrection Part 9 of 10

By Dan Maines

Understanding the Fulfilled View
The Resurrection Was a Covenant Resurrection
Part 9 of 10, all posted same day, links at bottom

Introduction
Most Christians imagine the resurrection as corpses coming out of physical graves at the end of time. But scripture interprets scripture, and the Bible consistently describes resurrection in covenant terms, not biological terms. Resurrection is the raising up of God's people into the New Covenant life that Christ established through His death and victory over the Law. The Old Covenant produced death, and the New Covenant produces life. The resurrection is about the transformation from the old world of condemnation into the new creation in Christ. It is covenantal, spiritual, and fulfilled in the first century, just as scripture promised.

The Covenant That Brought Death Had to End Before Resurrection Could Begin

2 Corinthians 3:6
Who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
† Paul directly ties death to the Old Covenant, and life to the New Covenant. The resurrection is impossible to understand apart from this covenant contrast.
† The Old Covenant was a ministry of death, not because of biology, but because of sin and condemnation under the Law.
† Resurrection is the transition from death under the Law to life in Christ.

The Power of Death Was the Law, Not Biological Decay

1 Corinthians 15:56
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law.
† Paul says the power of death is the Law. This makes resurrection covenantal, not physical.
† Biological death is never called the enemy in scripture. Covenant death is.
† Resurrection liberates from the Law's condemnation.

Israel's Promise of Resurrection Was Covenant Redemption

Hosea 13:14
Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol. Shall I redeem them from death. Death, where are your thorns. Sheol, where is your sting.
† This is the exact passage Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 15.
† Hosea speaks of Israel's covenant death and God's promise to redeem them from it.
† Scripture interprets scripture. Paul's resurrection doctrine is rooted in Israel's covenant restoration, not biological reanimation.

God Promised to Remove the Veil of Death Over Israel

Isaiah 25:7-8
And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces.
† Paul also quotes this passage in 1 Corinthians 15, proving the resurrection is about covenant death and covenant victory.
† Death is swallowed up when the Old Covenant veil is removed.
† This is fulfilled in Christ, not in a future physical resurrection of bodies.

Resurrection Is Being Raised with Christ into New Covenant Life

Ephesians 2:5-6
Even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
† Paul says believers were already resurrected, raised, and seated with Christ.
† This cannot refer to biological resurrection.
† Resurrection is union with Christ in the New Covenant.

Buried with Christ and Raised Through Faith, Not Through Physical Resurrection

Colossians 2:12-13
Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him.
† Raised with Him through faith proves this resurrection already occurred for believers in the first century.
† No graves opened, no corpses rose.
† This resurrection is spiritual, covenantal, and present.

Israel's National Death Required Resurrection

Ezekiel 37:11-14
Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the entire house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am going to open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people.
† The text identifies the bones as the house of Israel, not corpses.
† Resurrection here is national and covenantal.
† Jesus fulfills the greater resurrection by restoring God's people through the New Covenant.

Daniel Placed the Resurrection at the Time of Israel's Judgment

Daniel 12:1-2
Now at that time Michael will arise, and there will be a time of distress such as never occurred. And at that time your people will be rescued. Many who sleep in the dust will awake, some to everlasting life, others to disgrace.
† Daniel connects resurrection with the destruction of Israel's world.
† Jesus places this very tribulation in the first century.
† The resurrection Daniel saw is covenantal and tied to Israel's end.

Jesus Connected Resurrection with Belief, Not Biology

John 11:25-26
I am the resurrection and the life, the one who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.
† Everyone who lives and believes will never die. This cannot refer to biological life.
† Jesus contrasts covenant death with covenant life.
† Believers do not wait for resurrection, they receive it by union with Christ.

The Hope of Israel Was the Resurrection

Acts 24:15
Having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
† Paul identifies the resurrection hope as Israel's hope.
† Israel's resurrection is covenant restoration from Law-condemnation.
† Paul preached the same resurrection promised in the prophets.

Paul Taught Resurrection as Deliverance from the Body of Death

Romans 7:24
Wretched man that I am. Who will set me free from the body of this death.
† This body is not Paul's flesh, but the corporate body under the Law.
† Deliverance from that body is resurrection life in Christ.
† Covenant, not biology.

Paul Sought to Attain the Resurrection While Still Alive

Philippians 3:10-11
That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
† Paul speaks of attaining the resurrection as a process while alive.
† This is impossible if resurrection means corpses rising at the end of time.
† He sought covenant transformation into Christ's life.

The Body That Is Raised Is Not a Flesh Body

1 Corinthians 15:44
It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
† Paul contrasts covenant bodies, not physical bodies.
† Resurrection is entrance into the spiritual New Covenant body.
† The entire chapter is about covenant identity, not biology.

How It Applies To Us Today
† Understanding resurrection as covenantal frees believers from futurist expectations of a global resurrection event.
† We now live in the resurrected life of the New Covenant, raised with Christ and no longer under the condemnation of the Law.
† Resurrection is the victory of Christ applied to His people, establishing the eternal kingdom that we live in today.

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index
† 2 Corinthians 3:6, 1 Corinthians 15:56, Hosea 13:14, Isaiah 25:7-8, Ephesians 2:5-6, Colossians 2:12-13, Ezekiel 37:11-14, Daniel 12:1-2, John 11:25-26, Acts 24:15, Romans 7:24, Philippians 3:10-11, 1 Corinthians 15:44

Series - Understanding the Fulfilled View

01 The Time Statements Mean What They Say Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894198244801641/

02 Audience Relevance, Their Generation Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894198808134918/

03 The End of the Age Was Not the End of the World Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894199314801534/

04 The Last Days Were Their Last Days, Not Ours Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894199971468135/

05 The Coming of the Son of Man Was a Judgment Coming Website

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1349070089314462/posts/1894200534801412/

06 The Judgment of Babylon Was the Judgment of Jerusalem Website