There are four Scriptures in John chapter 6 which mention “the last day”, and the resurrection of believers on the last day.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (John 6:39)
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40)
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54)
These Scriptures are a GUARANTEE that those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him into their innermost beings shall be resurrected on the last day, because they have eternal life. [The Greek phrase for the last day is eschate hemera (ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ) from which we derive the word “eschatology”]. But what exactly is the last day?
On the surface it would appear that this is the day of the Resurrection/Rapture of the Church.
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die in Christ], 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. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him [the souls and spirits of the saints]. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.(Luke 14:14) The “just” as those who have been justified (declared righteous) by God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, having received His righteousness as a gift.
But then we have these Scriptures, which must also be taken into account:
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:48)
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:38,29)
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (Acts 24:15)
So now we have an “hour” and also a “day” which appears to be designated for the resurrection of both the just (saved) and the unjust (unsaved). But since we must take all Scripture into account, we will discover that both the hour and the day are metaphorical for a period of time.
1. The return of Christ for His saints has always been imminent.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Matthew 24:42) This is not addressed to the world but those those who have made Christ their Lord and Savior.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44). This is addressed to the servants of the Lord who are to be always ready for His return.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:35-37). Once again, the servants of the Lord are commanded to be watchful at all times because of the suddenness and unexpectedness of the Lord’s return.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:13). The context is the parable of the ten virgins, and the ones who were ready (or unready) to meet the Bridegroom. His coming would be (a) sudden, (b) unannounced and (c) unexpected.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.(Luke 21:36). Here the servants of the Lord are told to pray so that they will escape the things prophesied in the Olivet Discourse (God’s judgments on the unbelieving and the ungodly).
2. The resurrection of the unjust (the resurrection of damnation) is only AFTER the Millennium.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15).
Thus we can see through all these Scriptures that “the last day” encompasses more than 1,000 years, with the first resurrection (that of the just) preceding the second resurrection (that of the unjust).
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (John 6:39)
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40)
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54)
These Scriptures are a GUARANTEE that those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him into their innermost beings shall be resurrected on the last day, because they have eternal life. [The Greek phrase for the last day is eschate hemera (ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ) from which we derive the word “eschatology”]. But what exactly is the last day?
On the surface it would appear that this is the day of the Resurrection/Rapture of the Church.
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die in Christ], 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. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53)
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him [the souls and spirits of the saints]. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18).
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.(Luke 14:14) The “just” as those who have been justified (declared righteous) by God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, having received His righteousness as a gift.
But then we have these Scriptures, which must also be taken into account:
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:48)
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:38,29)
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. (Acts 24:15)
So now we have an “hour” and also a “day” which appears to be designated for the resurrection of both the just (saved) and the unjust (unsaved). But since we must take all Scripture into account, we will discover that both the hour and the day are metaphorical for a period of time.
1. The return of Christ for His saints has always been imminent.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. (Matthew 24:42) This is not addressed to the world but those those who have made Christ their Lord and Savior.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44). This is addressed to the servants of the Lord who are to be always ready for His return.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:35-37). Once again, the servants of the Lord are commanded to be watchful at all times because of the suddenness and unexpectedness of the Lord’s return.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:13). The context is the parable of the ten virgins, and the ones who were ready (or unready) to meet the Bridegroom. His coming would be (a) sudden, (b) unannounced and (c) unexpected.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.(Luke 21:36). Here the servants of the Lord are told to pray so that they will escape the things prophesied in the Olivet Discourse (God’s judgments on the unbelieving and the ungodly).
2. The resurrection of the unjust (the resurrection of damnation) is only AFTER the Millennium.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15).
Thus we can see through all these Scriptures that “the last day” encompasses more than 1,000 years, with the first resurrection (that of the just) preceding the second resurrection (that of the unjust).
