Resurrection of the Dead
Before we can all be led by the Messiah, we must first be alive. It wouldn't be useful to have "hope" if it was only for the living. Rather our hope in the Messianic era and beyond requires a resurrection of the dead. Scripture is fairly detailed in describing a physical return back into the same form you left.
A good argument for believing in the reanimation of your prior form is within the definition of resurrection. Resurrection is when you return to the same form which you left. On the other hand, reincarnation is when you go one form and then take on a new one.
1) Resurrection: His body was born missing a leg, he died, he returns to the same form/body (still missing a leg).
2) Reincarnation: His body was born missing a leg, he died, he returns to a different form/body which has two legs.
Yeshua is considered the first-born among the dead (Colossians 1:18). Being the "first" to be born from the dead (resurrected proper), we should be able to use his resurrection as a testimony of the things to come.
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:25-27
“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have,” (Luke 24:39).
“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body,” (John 2:19-21).
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11
Sanhedrin 91b & Midrash Beresishis Rabbah 95:1 explain that everyone will recognize that the resurrected people are the same as those who lived previously. If people were to reanimate into a different body than the one they left, then others may not believe that G-d truly resurrected the dead. This is in alignment with what Yeshua and his disciples clearly believed and were witness to.
Finally, we have Ezekiel, who presents us with a prophecy and insight into the resurrection of the dead, which clearly outlines a physical body of flesh and bones:
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 37:1-6 ESV
Additionally, it must be noted that there is a discussion concerning "who" will resurrect. If the resurrection is promised to all the righteous, and some righteous have not yet died, then is the prophecy a failure? Tractate Sanhedrin 97a seems to struggle with this, stating: "All the righteous, even those who are alive, shall die and be resurrected." Thus, all the righteous who are dead will resurrect, and those who are still alive will still live out their whole lives, die, and then also be able to experience the resurrection.
For further evidence of a physical bodily resurrection, you can read "Resurrection Preached at Sinai".
Gathering to the Cloud
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. [...]Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 17 ESV
The majority of this is on par with the rabbinic thought of Paul's day:
Rabbi Alexandri says: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi raises a contradiction between two depictions of the coming of the Messiah. It is written: “There came with the clouds of heaven, one like unto a son of man…and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom…his dominion is an everlasting dominion” (Daniel 7:13–14). And it is written: “Behold, your king will come to you; he is just and victorious; lowly and riding upon a donkey and upon a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Rabbi Alexandri explains: If the Jewish people merit redemption, the Messiah will come in a miraculous manner with the clouds of heaven. If they do not merit redemption, the Messiah will come lowly and riding upon a donkey. Sanhedrin 98a:13
Just as he was taken up into the clouds, he will return in the clouds. When he descends, he will descend upon the Mount of Olives where he was taken up, as it states:
On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives Zechariah 14:4
However, the following section is used to support the idea that believers will ascend to heaven (also known as 'rapture theology'). However, there may be more layers than just a plain reading.
Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds [...] 1 Thessalonians 4:17a ESV
According to this, the "them" refers to the righteous individuals who had died and ascended. We who are left, are being united with those who have already passed away.
In order to read this with the understanding of a rapture, we would need to interpret the text in one of the following ways:
Then we who are alive, will be raptured up to heaven to dwell with the rest of the righteous (who dwell in the clouds). There we will meet the Lord in the air and always be with him. (But then later, we will also come down to live on earth for 1,000 years with him.) 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (Rapture Expounded1)
Then we who are alive, will be raptured up to heaven to dwell with the rest of the righteous. As the Lord comes down we will meet the Lord in the air as we pass by him. After he is finished conquering the land and destroying evil, then we will also come down to live on earth and then be with him for eternity after that. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (Rapture Expounded 2)
Unfortunately, both of these variations are lacking in substance. However, if we are to understand "clouds" with the concept of the arrival of the Divine Presence at the temple. Then it becomes less of a difficulty. Paul, a Pharisee of Pharisees, may have agreed with the concept of the righteous resurrecting in the land of Israel:
"All the righteous will be resurrected in the land of Israel." Sanhedrin 92b
Other Jewish commentaries on the prophets (Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Radak, & Maimonides⁶) make mention of the righteous being resurrected and gathered in Jerusalem as well.
In addition, the writer of Hebrews speaks of the righteous as a "cloud" of witnesses:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV
If Paul, who was a Pharisee of Pharisees, understood the future events like a Pharisee; then perhaps this would be a more accurate rendition of 1 Thessalonians 4:17:
Then, we who are alive, will go up to Israel (where the righteous who were resurrected are). Together, we will go out to greet the Lord who is coming down from the sky and escort him from the Mount of Olives into the Temple. We will then be with the Lord always. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (Expounded)
And for what reason might we be "gathered up" to go to Israel?
Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths (Sukkot/Cloud). Deuteronomy 16:16 ESV (Parenthetical Added)
It gets a little more interesting though. In 1 Kings 8:1, Solomon gathers up all the men in Israel at the feast of Sukkot to inaugurate the 1st Temple. After the inauguration, the "cloud" filled the temple. Again, at the time of Chanuka, the Maccabees revolted and took back the temple. After cleansing the Temple of defilement from the Greeks, they rededicated the Temple and celebrated for 8 days as a 'delayed' Sukkot festival.
The Temple dedication and Sukkot are heavily intertwined, but this should not be a shock as the cloud of glory is heavily represented and emphasized in both. The sukkah in the wilderness, the holy place in the Temple, the Tent of Meeting, and the coming of Messiah come with "the cloud". If any of them were to be missing the "cloud" they would not be complete.
It is often believed that Solomon also arranged the inauguration to coincide with Sukkot at the end of the shemitta year in accordance with Deuteronomy:
And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths (Sukkot), when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. Deuteronomy 31:10-13 ESV (Parenthical added)
This too has even more significance. With the "coming of the cloud/sukkot/Temple/Messiah", the Messiah will be the one who will read the law, and thus fulfilling the prophecy:
and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3 ESV
Messiah Leads Us (Our Refinement)
Isaiah, speaking of the coming Messiah and the Messianic age, says he will bring justice to the nations and deliver the law. He is going to refine the nations and all people.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. Isaiah 42:1-4 ESV
Regarding the Messianic era, Zechariah speaks of the Messiah judging all nations, and those who survive will then go up year after year to celebrate the feasts. Those who don't follow the law will have "rain" withheld. Which, has a double meaning of Torah and also physical rain.
Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. [...] the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. Zechariah 14:16-19
Micah, speaking of the Messianic age, says the Messiah will be teaching us G-d's ways so that we may walk in them, becoming purified. There will be no more war, but universal peace. This allows everyone to study diligently and perfect their walks.
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; Micah 4:1-3
After Moses died, Joshua took over as leader of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 31-34). Joshua led the Israelites out of the wilderness (out of exile), conquered the land of Canaan (promised land), destroyed the wicked who lived there, and then divided the land for every tribe (Joshua 23). Afterwards, he commands them to be loyal to G-d and His commands.
Joshua is a foreshadowing of the coming "Joshua" (Yeshua). The Messiah will come, he will crush the wicked - and be the leader of all the land who everyone will submit to. Everyone will listen to him who gives the Torah. But unlike Joshua, the Messianic age is for 1,000 years, the Messiah acts as a judge to refine the nations and prepare the world for what is to come.
They [the righteous who died] came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4b (ESV)
So far, we have established the Pre-Millennial view of the first-century believers and Judaism as a whole and the resurrection and the meeting with Messiah in Jerusalem. What we have not covered yet is some of the details of our resurrected bodies. We will be talking about that in part 3.
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