Well, even though Resurrection is a tricky topic, it's easy to prove it's not a one or two time event from scripture.
The Bible uses the term "resurrection" of national restorations (Isa 26:13-14,19-20/ Ez 37), personal salvation/baptism, the transfer of departed souls in the O.T. Hades/Sheol into God's heaven, and the final state of all things.
Parsing them all out is what can get tricky.
I maintain that the destruction of the Old Covenant nation is the
primary sense of the apostles' eschatological teachings.
For example, I would characterize
Luke 2:34-35 as speaking of Israel's first-century destruction and re-constitution via the Nazarene sect of King Jesus under the foretold NEW covenant.
Then, I am of the view that 1 Thess 4:13-17 is a discussion of when the O.T. dead would escape Hades/Sheol and be united to Christ in the heavenlies. In short, Paul says that their release from Hades was about to happen, as the impending historic change of the covenants (Heb 8:13/2 Cor 3:6-11) was to be marked by the Temple's profanation/desecration (2 Thess 2:3-4/Matt 23:33-24:2) and God's wrath on their disobedient Jewish countrymen (1 Thess 2:15-16/Mt 23:33-38/Acts 3:22-24).
It is even possible to understand resurrection in light of the AD 30-AD 70 period, as the word itself means "to stand" and receives multiple uses and meanings in scripture. (Like the examples I said before: the OT "national resurrections" of Israel; the "being raised" with Christ in baptism; the removal of the departed OT souls from Hades to Heaven; the final state).
Many of today's Christians have erred by not recognizing the link between the time statements and the end of the Old Covenant age, when God came in judgment upon Christ's enemies (Pharisees, Zealots, Sadducees, etc) at AD 70. Yes, even though we hold firm to a *final* judgment of God in the future
, the imminent one that was "near" and "soon" and "at hand" to first-century jews was the AD 70 end of their nation and covenant and priesthood and tribes and 1500-year dynasty under Moses. The old nation instituted by Moses gave way to the new and greater covenanted nation which was made worldwide in Christ Jesus.
Just about everyone who studies NT theology knows that a major change took place for the dead back in the first century. In OT times, the dead did *not* ascend into Heaven but rather were prevented from doing so by the absence of a covenant that cleansed them fully. Moreover, nearly all christian groups admit that a change has occurred for the dead between the OT times and the NT times.
What is entirely unclear however is precisely when that change took place. I am making the case that the bible teaches it took place when the Temple was destroyed during their "visitation" (
Luke 19:40-44), in the days of vengeance (
Luke 21:20-22).
The destruction of the Temple was hugely significant in that it was the historic signifier that the Old Covenant had vanished and the New had replaced it. Moreover, the destruction of the Temple was a key teaching of Christ, and one St. Paul picks up on at 2 Thess 2:3-4. And so I believe the most obvious and biblical understanding of 1 Thess 4 is that the dead in Hades were to be united to Christ when the Temple was profaned and desecrated. The "change" was huge, for it was the precise "change" that we think of when we distinguish the Old Covenant from the New Covenant.
What was to happen to the O.T-era dead was a central issue in the switch from the Old Covenant age to the New Covenant age. And in fact, nearly all christian groups admit that a major change took place for the dead during that time. Yet there is no agreement about what event marked their release from Hades. I believe the scripture is clear that the destruction of the Temple marked their release from Hades, as St. Paul teaches.
I think Paul addresses it by saying the dead ones go first and living ones later. For sure, I believe we can all agree that faithful Christians do now go to heaven at death, and that this phenomenon began no later than AD 70. I believe St. Paul marks the change as having taken place with the destruction of the Old Covenant constitution and commonwealth.
None of this in any way negates or usurps the FUTURE RESURRECTION to the FINAL state of all creation.
Not recognizing this fact is, IMO where both the full preterists, as well as the
rabid anti-preterists, err.
Actually, Scripture testifies He has Come MULTIPLE TIMES since the ascension.
Here's one:
Acts 7:55-56
55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
And the next coming of Jesus was here:
Acts 9:3-5
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
And then He plainly came as the Lord of the Vineyard/Chief Cornerstone in 70AD in fulfillment of
Matthew 21:33-45, Crushing the Wicked generation of Jews, just as He promised He would here:
40 “Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease
his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
And of course, whenever... that's right, WHENEVER, Two or Three are gathered in His name, He Comes into their Midst:
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in My name,
I am there in the midst of them.”
No matter how you slice it, Any "future to us" coming, won't be the "2nd".