The Bible speaks about the first resurrection and a later resurrection of all peoples, nations, and tongues to come before the Throne of Judgment to receive a recompense for those things that were done in the body while they were alive.  Whether unto righteousness and eternal life or unto death and everlasting destruction, the Bible says.

Traditional church teachings say that the first resurrection takes place in the twinkling of an eye at the sound of the last trumpet sound at the moment that Christ returns to the earth to gather his people to himself.

Some newer teachings are being presented by biblical teachers in our day saying that there are two resurrections, but who is included , and what the purpose is for those who are resurrected at that time varies from traditional thinking.  The first resurrection they say is for the Bride of Christ for the purpose of executing justice and judgment in the earth.    The Bride is a group of believers elect and chosen, prepared by the Spirit of God for this purpose and aim of judgment.  The Bride will then reside in the new Jerusalem, the city of God, that will come down out of heaven to the earth in the time of the creation of the New Heaven and New Earth.

The saved nations of all prior believers will comprise those who will dwell on the new earth in a heavenly state.  There will be no sickness, no crying, no sorrow.  The child will play safely with the viper, the lamb will lie down with the lion.

What’s coming to my mind is a partial or perhaps full body resurrection while a believer is still dwelling on the earth in their physical body.  We do read about Jesus saying that the apostle John would carry on until his return if Jesus desired.  How would the apostle John do this?  His body would have to be changed through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him.  The apostle John might have ended up with a body similar to that of Jesus  after Jesus rose from the dead.  A body that would not be subject to the usual restrictions of aging, perhaps gravity, physical properties (Jesus walked through a wall), etc.  Jesus went first, the first fruits, then we follow after him.

Some thoughts as we see the world of today deteriorating quickly into perhaps an unrecoverable wickedness and evil at the time of the end.  As we read the Bible let’s look for some evidence in scripture of a Bride in Christ prepared by God to judge wickedness in the earth.