This does not contradict the bodily resurrection. All it proves is that all mankind dies, and their mortal life "continueth not" to live forever in that state.
Thy foes shall not; ultimately, and in the fullest scope of the prophecy, restored to life literally (
Eze 37:1-14;
Da 12:2).
I'm glad you included this Ezekiel 37:1-14 prophecy, because I was going to mention this one also. It portrays the "resurrection" of the people of Israel as a united people in the post-exilic return, after their 70 years of being scattered among the nations. God would revive Israel and Judah, using the decrees of the Persians to instigate that revival.
Yet the metaphoric description of HOW that "resurrection" occurred
nationally at that time is reflective of just how the Israelites understood a resurrection process to be accomplished. First, the scattered bones of each body came together, "bone to
his bone" (no mix-up between each body's parts). Then flesh and sinews came upon those bones, wrapped in skin once more. Then it took the breath of God's Spirit to bring those bodies to a living condition. Metaphorically, it took this step-by-step process to restore Israel and Judah with a rebuilt Temple, and hearts revived to serve their God with His Spirit among them.
This Ezekiel 37 resurrection process is exactly how the individual physical remains of the saints' bodies were changed in the AD 33 resurrection, and the AD 70 resurrection. And it all took place "in the twinkling of an eye". Job knew all about having to wait until his "change" came (Job 14:14-15). God would not forget Job's dead body lying in the grave, but would "have a desire to the work of His hands".
As to the physical bodies of the wicked, (as you have said, those who were the foes of the true Israel of God), Isaiah 26:14 wrote "they shall
not rise".
) For some reason people seem to think that Christ would remain forever in a body of flesh.
The reason for that is found in Hebrews 7:23-25, where the nature of Christ's high priesthood is described (established at His first ascension on His resurrection day). Christ's high priesthood was said to be after the order of Melchizedek, who had no beginning of life nor end of days. That was contrary to the Levitical high priests, who
did die physically. "And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of
death: But this man, because he
continueth ever, hath an
unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them."
Jesus today still "continueth ever" in that resurrected form that "passed into the heavens", and became a high priest that had been "
perfected forevermore" (Heb. 7:28). A high priest was supposed to be one united with the people he was representing before God. If Jesus had not maintained His resurrected human / divine form, He would not have been able to represent us before the Father. Like must represent like. The acceptance of our prayers and our persons before God depends upon this.
"fulfilled in Christ's resurrection-day ascension". It doesn't say or mean that.
Mark 14: 28
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Leviticus 23:
16You shall count
fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD.
17You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as
firstfruits to the LORD.
Here, you are mixing up the Passover First-fruits sheaf handful of barley offered along with the single He-lamb, and the later Pentecost offering of two wheat loaves made with leaven. Two different harvest feast celebrations.
Romans 8:23 And not only
that, but also
we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for
our adoption as sons
and daughters, the redemption of our body.
This is Paul saying that the early church had among them some of those "First-fruits" of the Spirit's work of redeeming bodies from the earth. (NOT the same as the "Fruit of the Spirit" of love, joy, etc.) Paul and the church had the example present with them of these resurrected Matthew 27, 144,000 First-fruits which they could see and touch, and they were groaning as they awaited the very same change for themselves, when their own bodies would be "redeemed from the earth" after death. Paul wrote about "the glory which is
about to be revealed in us" in those days (Romans being written around AD 60, and the AD 70 bodily resurrection soon to come).
This all happened at the same time:
Matthew 27:
50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit.
51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
52Also the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
Then
53and coming out of the tombs
after His resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
Christ is the first to be raised from the dead.
No, Christ was not the first to be raised from the dead. He was the first to ASCEND to the Father in a resurrected body. No resurrected person had ascended before then. THAT is the definition of being "begotten" by God as the "First-born" and the "First-begotten". As Psalms 2:7-8 predicted about Christ's ascension, "
THIS DAY have I
begotten thee" was the day when Christ was standing before God in His resurrected body, and was invited to ask His Father to give Him the heathen for His inheritance. Paul stated that this single "day" was fulfilled on Christ's resurrection day in Acts 13:33-34.
Many were raised out of the grave before Christ, but none ascended to the Father in their resurrected bodies until Christ "opened the matrix" as the "First-born" to have ascended to heaven. That was the day when Christ became ordained as the high priest "king", set upon God's holy hill of Zion.
