The Way of Resurrection

(This is chapter 13 of the book The Way of Sonship: Anointed to Overcome)

In English, the word resurrection is based upon the Latin “resurgere” which means to rise again. In Hebrew, the word used for resurrection was “amad” which meant to stand or endure like a pillar. In Greek, the word Jesus used for resurrection was “anistemi” which meant the same thing, to stand or be upstanding. For the Hebrews something upstanding was good, strong, secure, faithful, trustworthy, honourable, just, righteous, happy, straight and true. In Hebrew, a word used for fall was “naphal” and meant something fallen, garbage or rubbish thrown down, dead, ruined, useless, twisted, crooked, dishonest, unjust, unfaithful, insecure, unhappy, untrustworthy and false. Apart from the grace of God, this is the natural state of the fallen human heart, but this is often hidden because of God’s blessing. In John’s Gospel, he describes a family that Jesus loved and who were descended from both Abraham and most likely David. Martha was probably the eldest, she had a sister named Mary and a brother named Lazarus. The family was different from normal families in that culture as it is likely that none of them were married. God had a special purpose for them, they were actually types of the Bride of the Anointed One (or Christ). They lived in a village called Bethany that was quite close to Jerusalem, and Jesus often stayed with them when he was in town. They loved him and they knew that he loved them. However, one day, Lazarus became sick. Indeed, his sickness got worse and worse, so bad in fact that the family sent a messenger to ask Jesus to come and heal him. Jesus had left Judea because death threats had been made upon his life. When Jesus was told that Lazarus was sick and needed help, he waited two days before responding. Then he told his disciples that they were going to return to Judea. His disciples were surprised because the Jews had attempted to stone Jesus. Jesus said to his disciples in John 11:14-15 (KJV) “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless, let us go unto him“. Thomas said to his fellow disciples in John 11:16 (KJV) “Let us also go, that we may die with him“.

It says in John 11:20-24 (KJV) “Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, “Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee”. Jesus said unto her, “Thy brother shall rise again”. Martha saith unto him, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day“. Martha heard the words of Jesus with her natural ears and quite instinctively had a natural faith or trust in Jesus. However, the eyes of her heart were still dim, and she did not establish or take to heart the supernatural words of God’s breath of life (or Spirit and truth) that Jesus spoke. Martha’s natural hope of resurrection was a reference to Daniel 12:2,13 (KJV) which says “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt….but go thou [Daniel] thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand [resurrection] in thy lot [inheritance] at the end of the days“. She naturally thought that Jesus was possibly talking about that.

Jesus responded to Martha’s confused unbelief with a question that encouraged her to establish as truth Jesus’ supernatural words. In John 11:23-27 KJV) Jesus said “I Am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in [from within] me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believe thou this?” She saith unto him, “Yes, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world””.

Jesus had already said in John 5:24-27 “‘Verily [in Hebrew “amen”, faith, truth, pillar or support], verily, I say to you—‘he who is hearing my word, and is believing [establishing] Him who sent me, has life age-during, and to judgment he does not come, but has passed out of the death to the life. Verily, verily, I say to you—There comes an hour, and it now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard shall live; for, as the Father has life in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life in himself, and authority He gave him also to do judgment, because he is Son of Man’”. And so, Jesus asked that the stone in front of Lazarus’ grave was removed. In an act of absolute unmerited sovereign grace, He then commanded in a loud voice that Lazarus should “come forth” out of the grave, and he did.

From an ancient Hebraic cultural perspective, when Lazarus was dead, he was not in Hades, the underworld, or realms of the conscious dead because there was no such place, nor was he in heaven (see John 3:13). This was to happen later. When Lazarus was dead, he was simply asleep in the dust of what Psalm 88:12 describes as the “land of forgetfulness”, “sheol” or the grave. If anyone had asked Lazarus what death was like (no doubt many people did) he would have said something like “There was absolutely nothing there, my mind is completely blank, that is all I can remember”. In his natural state, the heart of Lazarus was fallen, garbage or rubbish thrown down, dead, ruined, useless, twisted, crooked, dishonest, unjust, unfaithful, insecure, unhappy, untrustworthy and false. This represents the state of the fallen human apart from the grace of God. The fallen heart is dead to the unmerited grace of God; it does not believe, will not believe, and cannot believe unless it believes that such “unmerited” grace is actually “merited” and has been earned. But if it is earned, it is no longer a gift of God’s grace but a sweaty work that that obliges God to respond in kind. Such is the pride of the religion of tradition, and such pride shackles and binds the grace of God. In the pride of the fallen heart, “I am” the centre of my life, God is my equal and all I can see is “my glorious and admirable self”. In Hebrew, the word Lazarus is “Eleazor” and means “God is my helper”. Lazarus was dead, as such the “credo” of his “I believe” pride could not shackle the grace of God. For Lazarus, the only thing that was good about him and the only thing that was left regarding him, was the grace or blessing of God. Everything else was not just as good as dead, it actually was dead. This is why Jesus waited two days before going to help him. Lazarus’ death was the perfect platform upon which the glorious and unmerited grace of God could stand. God really was Lazarus’ helper. By an act of undeserved sovereign grace, Jesus stood upon the platform of God’s glory and rose Lazarus, as a glorious Son of God, from the dead. The faith that was within Jesus is the same gift of faith that the grace or Holy Spirit of God’s fatherhood imparts into the hearts of the Sons of God. That is why Paul said in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. The same faith that dwelled richly in Jesus and that rose Lazarus from the dead was the “faith of the Son of God” that dwelt within Paul; Paul had died to the pride of his “I am my very own glorious and wonderful self” and lived in the power of Jesus’ resurrection life. This was because he shared in Jesus’ identity as a Son of God. That is why Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”.

Like the prodigal sons, Lazarus, and indeed Abraham were a type or foreshadowing of the “ecclesia” of God. Lazarus was called out of death, Abraham was called out of the authority and power of his natural born life that was dead to God and passed down through the generational seed line from Adam, the original sinning father. They are like those who, by the election of sovereign grace, are brought to their senses and come home. When Jesus said, “Let those who have ears, let them hear”, they hear because those who belong to God hear what God says. Within ancient Hebrew culture to hear meant to obey. They are called by the unmerited grace and truth of the living word of God spoken with supernatural breath to “come forth” out of the grave-like, prison or pigsty of the devil’s lies, the “called out ones” or “ecclesia”, back into the arms of their Father. They are called out of the Babylon of the natural life of fallen devil-indwelt emptiness (or “belial” in Hebrew) and self-adoration handed down from Adam, and into the upstanding power and revival life of Jesus’ resurrection. For the Hebrews, their hope was actually resurrection out of death – the revival of being able to live again (see Matthew 27:52-53), not remaining dead forever in a fairy-tale castle in the sky. King David said in Psalm 16:5-11 “Yehovah is the portion of my share, and of my cup. Thou dost uphold my lot. Lines have fallen to me in pleasant places, Yea, a beauteous inheritance is for me. I bless Yehovah who has counselled me; Also, in the nights my reins instruct me. I did place Yehovah before me continually, because—at my right hand I am not moved. Therefore, has my heart been glad, and my honour does rejoice, also my flesh dwelleth confidently: For Thou dost not leave my soul to Sheol, nor give thy saintly one to see corruption. Thou cause me to know the path of life; Fulness of joys is with Thy presence, Pleasant things by Thy right hand for ever!” For David, his God was Yehovah, who remarkably was also born as his son Yehoshua (Yeshua, Yehovah is Salvation, or Jesus) and David prophesied Jesus’ (the Son of David) resurrection and his own. That is why it says in Psalm 110:1 “The affirmation of Yehovah to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.’” When David said, “my Lord”, David was not talking about God the Son because within ancient Hebrew culture, there was no such person. God the Son belongs to a different people group, age, culture and tradition.

It says in Hosea 6:1-2 “Come, and we turn back unto Yehovah, For He has torn, and He does heal us, He does smite, and He binds us up. He does revive us after two days, In the third day He does raise us up, and we live before Him”. Resurrection life is where the word of God “Son” that was originally spoken by the breath of God’s life into Adam (the original Son of God) when he was created but was then divorced out of him at the Fall, is remarried or reunited with the breath or blessing of God’s fatherhood (or Holy Spirit) through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus said in Luke 20:34-36 “The sons of this age do marry and are given in marriage, but those accounted worthy to obtain that age, and the rising again [resurrection] that is out of the dead, neither marry, nor are they given in marriage; for neither are they able to die any more—for they are like messengers [angels]—and they are Sons of God, being sons of the rising again [resurrection].” The father of lies teaches that being worthy is based upon the right tradition of religion – prayers, ceremonies, doctrine, incantations, rituals, creeds, beliefs, spells, theologies, offerings, teachings, sacrifices, rites, articles, or observances. However, those who are inspired by the election of grace to live in the power of resurrection life before they die will be accounted worthy to be part of the First Resurrection. They become sons of the resurrection out of the sleep of death, and Sons of God, forever. That is why Jesus said in John 5:28-29 (KJV) “… for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his [the Son of man or Adam] 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”. The religion of tradition would disagree. However, Paul said in Colossians 3:1-6 (KJV) “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience”. God’s final judgement is based upon relationship and not religion, upon behaviour and not beliefs, upon fruit and not imaginary faith. Hebraically, people live what they really believe and behaviour in life will become inheritance in resurrection. That is why Paul said in Colossians 3:23-25 (KJV) “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that does wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done and there is no respect of persons”.

Six days before the Passover when Jesus was crucified, He once again visited Bethany. A meal was served by Martha in His honour and Lazarus and no doubt many others reclined and ate with Jesus. As they ate, Mary brought an outrageous amount of overly expensive perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet. Within ancient Hebrew culture, faith meant to establish, unbelief or doubting was the presumptive pride of disobedience and bitter rebellion. Mary had allowed the truth of the living word of God to dislodge the devil’s lying breaths from within her heart and she had established that Jesus really was the Anointed One (or Christ), the Son of God who was to come into the world. Jesus said in Matthew 13:44-46 “Again, the reign of the heavens is like to treasure hid in the field, which a man having found did hide, and from his joy went, and all, as much as he hath, he sold, and bought that field. Again, the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a merchant, seeking goodly pearls, who having found one pearl of great price, having gone away, has sold all, as much as he had, and bought it”. By being inspired to encounter Jesus, Mary had discovered the treasure or pearl of great worth. By her actions she had practically established within her own heart this treasure of sharing in Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. Her heart was readied by the sovereign grace of God to receive the blessing of Abraham and the anointing of Kings. This was the pearl of the living word of the breath of God’s fatherhood (or Holy Spirit) poured out upon Jesus and his Bride, the corporate house or temple or Son of God, on the Day of Pentecost. Having seen God raise Lazarus from the dead, and having received the love and blessing of Jesus so often, both Mary and Martha, Lazarus and the identity of many others present in the house together with Jesus, was securely established within Him. John states that the whole house where they were sitting was filled or shared in the fragrance of Jesus’ anointing. When Mary was inspired to anoint Jesus’ feet, the fragrance that filled the whole house was a foreshadowing of the Pentecostal anointing and the flames of the lamp or light of God’s love upon the Head of the Son of God poured out upon the Father’s house or temple of Jesus’ own very body or Bride. Of course, that did not include Judas who made a song and dance about the price of what he thought was Mary’s wasteful prodigality. Judas had already disqualified himself from being part of the corporate totality of Jesus and His Bride. He foolishly believed the devil’s lie that the presence of Jesus was worth less than the price of the wasted money. Judas no doubt felt offended and publicly humiliated when Jesus defended Mary by rebuking him. The father of lies puffed himself into Judas’ self-admiring and vengeful heart with the promise of the price of thirty pieces of silver, the cost of Jesus’ betrayal.

In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul was concerned that the Corinthians had received the sovereign blessing of the grace of God in vain. In Greek, the word used for vain was “kenos” and meant emptiness. They had experienced the upstanding revival life of Jesus and had encountered resurrection power. However, Paul was concerned that the father of lies was attempting to dethrone the crown of the heart-changing anointing and blessing of the life’s breath (or Holy Spirit) of God’s fatherhood by replacing relationship with the religion of tradition. Having been part of the “ecclesia” or called out ones from the Babylon of the pride and the fallen emptiness of self-worship, without the saving anointing and blessing of God, their previously pride-poisoned self-admiring loveless hearts would once again be puffed up. This would have been with eternal emptiness of religious doctrines, out-of-context scriptures, misquotes, theologies, traditions, hypocrisy, and the pride of self-worship indwelt by the father of lies. The danger was that by being disrobed of their wedding garments, emptied of God, and robbed of their identity as being part of the corporate totality of the Son of God they would simply be left a salvation based upon the work of “faith” in religious tradition and not the “trust” of relationship. This would have been a salvation of traditions, beliefs, and scriptural sounding words divorced of God’s presence and incredible life-changing power. If this happened, they would become, like the church of Laodicea, mere talkers, fakes, and imitators, once again robed or wrapped in the shroud or grave clothes as types of dead Lazarus and without the glory and revival power of resurrection life. Behaviour in life would become inheritance in resurrection and there is no repentance in resurrection. They would stay like this, forever.

In 2 Corinthians 6:2 Paul quoted from Isaiah 49 and said to them “In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation [victory] I did help thee, lo, now is a well-accepted time; lo, now, a day [today] of salvation”. For Paul, the gospel or good news of salvation or overcoming victory was today, not after he was dead. Salvation meant being sovereignly inspired to live a changed or victorious life of the very same anointing of the upstanding resurrection power of divine life that reanimated the dead body of Jesus when He rose from the dead. For Paul, this was the not self-congratulatory imaginary intellectual traditional theory of the theoretical triumph of fictitious fantasy faith. The almighty power that raised Jesus from the dead was sovereignly at work within him. By the election of grace, Paul shared Jesus’ identity as the “Son of God”, and this same resurrection power, the Almighty Breath of God’s fatherhood (or Holy Spirit), inspired Paul to no longer bear Satan’s fallen image but instead be upstanding and faithful in all things. Paul talked of showing great patience in affliction, of being in need and great distress and yet carrying on. He talked of beatings and imprisonment, of riots, labours, being attacked by wild beasts, shipwrecked, sleepless nights and going without food, all for the sake of the good news that the anointing of the overcoming power of resurrection life can once again be rocked within people’s hearts. Paul talked of purity of heart and understanding, of living in love and kindness inspired by the inbreathed and living word of God’s truth (or Holy Spirit), the breastplate of righteousness and the weapons of faith and love, in his left hand and his right. He talked of honouring others but being dishonoured himself, of being slandered but giving others a good report, of being considered a deceiver yet always being true, of being a nobody yet notorious, of dying but somehow living on, being beaten again and again and yet not being killed. He talked of being sorrowful yet always rejoicing, of being poor but making others rich, of having nothing yet possessing all things. Everything apart from Jesus had gone to nothingness, helplessness and ruin. Every thought of advantage for himself was on the decrease in order that the Anointed One could increase. Paul was inspired by sovereign grace to live in another state, where all things were done under the power of the almighty breath or Holy Spirit of divine life. These things revealed Paul’s identity as a Son of God and a heavenly man together with Jesus. God had freely accepted Paul into the Beloved to the praise of His glorious grace. As such, God recognised Paul as being humbled like Jesus in his death and as such released to him the power of Jesus’ upstanding resurrection life. That is why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15: 10 (KJV) “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”. This resurrection life was the winning salvation of overcoming power for Paul who chose to die every day to the self-admiring pride of his natural fallen heart. This is why Paul says in Philippians 3:10-11 (KJV) “That I may know him [Christ, the Anointed One], and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead“. That is why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:41-42 (KJV) “for as one star differs from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead”. Behaviour in life will become inheritance in resurrection. This is the way of resurrection.

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