15

A Good Report

And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to fight the armies of the aliens.

Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect (Heb. 11:32-40).

Hebrews, chapter eleven forms a climactic point toward which revelation in the first ten chapters moves. The response, "by faith," on the part of individuals throughout this chapter was occasioned by the promises of God. God had, through His revelation "unto the fathers by the prophets," revealed certain things concerning His plans and purposes. And within the scope of God's revelation concerning His plans and purposes lay the promises of future blessings which would one day be realized by His people. Numerous Old Testament saints became interested in these things, took their eyes off the present, and looked out into the future, believing that God would ultimately bring to pass what He had promised.

Outlining Abraham's walk by faith in Heb. 11:8-16, two things stand out above everything else -- the promise of an earthly inheritance, and the promise of a better inheritance, "that is, an heavenly." It is clear from verses 10-16 that not only did Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob desire the heavenly inheritance above the earthly, but so did many other Old Testament saints (v. 9). And it is also clear from passages such as Matt. 8:11 and Luke 13:28 that these Old Testament saints who moved through their pilgrim life by faith, looking beyond the earthly inheritance to the heavenly, will one day realize this heavenly inheritance.

Our text in Heb. 11:32-40 centers around the thought of "a better resurrection" (v. 35), a resurrection having to do strictly with Old Testament saints. Certain Old Testament saints, by faith, passed through trials and testings, refusing to accept deliverance, even to the point of death, in order to obtain something which God had promised -- "a better resurrection." The better resurrection in this text cannot refer merely to the resurrection of Old Testament saints occurring at the end of the Tribulation, for this resurrection will include all Old Testament saints -- both those who governed their lives in the manner set forth in Heb. 11:8-16, 32-39, and those who did not so govern their lives. The resurrection of Old Testament saints, for example, will include all who came out of Egypt under Moses -- both those who were overthrown in the wilderness, and those who were allowed to enter into the land of Canaan. Passing victoriously through trials and testings as a prerequisite for attaining to this resurrection is alien to any Scriptural teaching on resurrection. Thus, of necessity, something beyond this resurrection (things involved in, "let us go unto perfection [maturity]" in Heb. 6:1, 2) must be in view.

Hebrews, chapter eleven is divided into two parts (vv. 4-16; vv. 17-40), and each part begins at the same point and also ends at the same point -- the blood sacrifice, and the Kingdom Age. At the beginning of part one Abel offered a lamb (v. 4), and at the beginning of part two Abraham offered his son (vv. 17-19). Part one terminates with Abraham and the heirs with him passing through their pilgrim life on earth, by faith, "desiring a better country, that is, an heavenly" (v. 16); and part two terminates with Old Testament saints (heirs with Abraham) passing through the same pilgrim life on earth, by faith, that they might obtain "a better resurrection" (v. 35). The "heavenly inheritance" into which Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and certain other Old Testament saints will enter is millennial in its scope of fulfillment; and, within the parallel between the two parts of Hebrews, chapter eleven, the "better resurrection" must also be millennial in its scope of fulfillment. The "better resurrection" would appear to be inseparably linked with the heavenly inheritance.

It is clear from verse forty that the Old Testament saints who, in that coming day, have a part in the "better resurrection" will not be "made perfect [brought to the goal of their calling]" apart from New Testament saints. The goal of their calling during Old Testament days was "a better country, that is, an heavenly"; and this calling must be realized at a future time in the heavens with New Testament saints. According to Matt. 8:11, individuals outside the nation of Israel -- Gentiles who have become Christians -- and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are to sit down together in the kingdom of the heavens.

"The fact that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be found in the Kingdom of the Heavens seems to reveal a mystery of which very little is said, although it is plainly corroborated by other Scriptures. This is, that saved Israelites, like believers of our own Age, will ultimately be found to consist of two classes, the one, and much the smaller, of which will dwell in the Heavenly City of God; while the great bulk of the nation will, as Ezekiel tells us [Ezek. 37:12-14], be raised from their graves when the Lord returns, and be led back to the land of Israel" (G. H. Pember).

All through Hebrews, chapter eleven there are parallels between the experiences of Old Testament saints and those of New Testament saints. The "better resurrection" associated with the Israelites' pilgrim walk by faith is no exception, for this resurrection has its counterpart in the "out-resurrection" associated with the Christians' pilgrim walk by faith. And a study of one resurrection will shed light upon the other resurrection.

In Phil. 3:10-14, Paul's driving ambition, governing his entire pilgrim walk, was to "attain unto the resurrection [lit. 'out-resurrection'] of the dead" (v. 11). The "out-resurrection" in verse eleven appears in connection with "the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" in verse fourteen. A prize necessitates a conflict, which has to do with the present conflict between Christians and the world-rulers of the darkness of this age (Eph. 6:12ff); and the reception of this prize requires victory in the conflict. Consequently, the "out-resurrection" of Phil. 3:11 cannot be the resurrection of Christians to which Paul refers in I Cor. 15:51-57 and I Thess. 4:13-18, for all "the dead in Christ" -- both the victorious and the nonvictorious, both the overcomers and those who have been overcome, both those who have faithfully engaged in the conflict and those who have refused to engage in the conflict will be included in this resurrection (ref. the author's book, JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, Ch. IV).

The regular Greek word for "resurrection" appearing throughout the New Testament is anastasis. This is a compound word comprised of ana, which means "up," and stasis, which means "to rise," or "to stand." Thus, anastasis means "to rise up" or "to stand up." When used relative to those who have died, the exact meaning of the word would be, "a resumption of life allowing one to rise up or stand up from the state of death."

The Greek word appearing in Phil. 3:11, erroneously translated "resurrection" in most English versions of Scripture, is ekanastasis. This word is made up of three parts (ek-ana-stasis). The latter two parts of the word (ana-stasis), as we have seen, mean "to rise up," or to stand up." But the preposition ek prefixed to anastasis adds a new dimension. Ek (the form "ek" takes when prefixed to words beginning with a vowel) means "out of," making ekanastasis mean "to stand up out of ['out-resurrection']."

The resurrection (anastasis) of Christians will be a separation of "the dead in Christ" from the remainder of the dead, whether Old Testament saints or the unsaved dead. The out-resurrection (ekanastasis) is a further separation beyond this point. It is the "standing up" of a particular group "out of" those previously raised from among the dead. At the time of the resurrection (anastasis), Christians will be separated from non-Christians; but at the time of the out-resurrection (ekanastasis), certain Christians will be separated from other Christians.

Understanding ekanastasis in the light of its context in Phil. 3:11 will clearly reveal that a resurrection per se (rising from the dead) is not what is in view at all. The subject at hand is "overcoming," "winning a prize in a conflict"; and these things are associated with the issues of the judgment seat and the coming kingdom. Ekanastasis has to do with certain Christians (the overcomers) being elevated to a status above -- a "standing up out of" -- the status occupied by the remaining Christians (the nonovercomers). At the judgment seat of Christ certain Christians will be shown to have overcome the world, the flesh, and the Devil -- the three great enemies confronting every Christian -- and the remaining Christians will be shown to have been overcome. Overcoming Christians will then be elevated to a standing above Christians who were overcome and, in this manner, will be set apart for the distinct purpose of occupying positions with Christ in the kingdom. They will realize the "prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (phil. 3:14). The overcomers will "stand up out of" (ekanastasis) the entire group which had previously "stood up" (anastasis) from among the dead.

Paul's magnificent obsession in Phil. 3:10-14 centered around an intimate relationship with Christ during his present pilgrim walk (v. 10) of such a nature that would allow him to ultimately be among those who would "attain unto the out-resurrection" (v. 11), receiving the "prize" (v. 14).

During Old Testament times Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob were in possession of both an earthly calling and a heavenly calling. Many Old Testament saints looked beyond their earthly calling to a higher calling, the heavenly calling. The removal of the kingdom of the heavens from the nation of Israel during the earthly ministry of Christ (Matt. 21:43) cannot void the fact that certain individuals, beginning with Abraham, qualified to occupy positions in the heavenly sphere of the coming kingdom. The nation of Israel itself can have nothing to do with the kingdom of the heavens in the coming age. Israel's lot is earthly, and the heavenly sphere of the kingdom is being reserved for the Church. But individual Israelites during Old Testament days who aspired to heavenly places, passed through the trials and testings set before them, by faith, looking for "a better resurrection," will one day realize the goal of their calling. They must, else the promises of God to these individuals would fail of fulfillment.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were strangers and pilgrims in a land which they were to receive for an everlasting possession (Gen. 13:14-16; 15:13; 17:7, 8; 26:3, 4; 28:13, 14); and in order for the promises of God to be fulfilled concerning this land, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must be raised from the dead and placed back in this land, no longer strangers and pilgrims (cf. Gen. 37:1). Then, for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to realize their heavenly inheritance as well, they must also dwell in heavenly places but still retain their status relative to the earthly inheritance.

Thus, it would appear that following the resurrection of Israel -- after Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all other Old Testament saints have been raised from the dead and placed back in the land of their possession -- there will then occur what Scripture calls, "a better resurrection." At this time, as in the case of Christians and the "out-resurrection" following the resurrection of all Christians, there will be a separation of Israelites -- the majority to remain in the earthly sphere of the kingdom, but a segment to be elevated to heavenly places and occupy positions of rulership in this heavenly sphere.

The positions which Old Testament saints will occupy in the kingdom of the heavens must, of necessity, be over the nation of Israel. Christians, outside the twelve apostles (Matt. 19:28), are never promised positions of rulership over Israel, only over the nations (Gentiles). And Israel is not to be "reckoned among the nations" (Num. 23:9). The numerous positions of rulership in the kingdom of the heavens over the nation of Israel are being reserved for a select group of individuals who have already been called out for this purpose. They were called out during Old Testament days; and these individuals, having a part in the "better resurrection," will be elevated to heavenly places and occupy positions of authority over Israel in the coming age. Their place in the kingdom of the heavens must be after this fashion, else they would lose their association with the land in the Abrahamic covenant -- a land given to them for an everlasting possession.

Israel, as God's firstborn son, was in direct line to inherit the rights of primogeniture in the Old Testament. The rights of primogeniture consisted of three things:

A) The firstborn was to be ruler of the household under and for the Father.

B) The firstborn was to act as priest of the family.

C) The firstborn was to receive a double portion of the Father's estate.

Within the coming kingdom of Christ, both in the heavens and on the earth, there will be two spheres of activity. One sphere of activity pertains to Israel, and the other to the Gentile nations. The order of rulers under Christ in the heavens will be divided between those who rule over Israel and those who rule over the Gentile nations, and supremacy among nations on earth will have passed from the Gentile nations to the nation of Israel. Israel will be the supreme nation, and all the Gentile nations will be subordinate (actually in positions of servitude; cf. Isa. 14:1, 2) to Israel.

The vice-regents who will rule under Christ in the kingdom of the heavens over the nation of Israel appear in Scripture in an orderly threefold classification.

A) David.

B) The Twelve Apostles.

C) Old Testament Saints.

A) The 144,000 Jewish Witnesses of the Tribulation.

B) Christians.

C) Tribulation Martyrs.