Today, we were able to get through the firstfruits harvest of the Old Testament Saints resurrecting with Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:8-10 clearly states that Jesus had to descend before he could ascend — Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Jesus had a mission to complete while separated in the heart of the earth. He had to pronounce judgment on the sons of God / fallen angels, who sought to destroy the antediluvian world, in Genesis 6.
1 Peter 3:18-20: For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
2 Peter 2:4: For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Jude 6: And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Once he fulfilled his mission, he led the Old Testament saints out of paradise, resurrecting in victory! He became the firstfruits of them that slept! 1 Cor 15:20; Job 19:25-27
Every saved person throughout history, will resurrect in their own order. Everyone who died before the propitious death of Christ, resurrected with him, leaving the captivity of Abraham’s bosom / paradise. Every saved / born again person of the Dispensation of the Grace of God, this mystery period, known as the Church Age, will resurrect in their order, too. This is the main harvest of the first resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:50-54: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
We will complete our look at the main harvest of the first resurrection next Sunday, and get into the 3rd Come up hither that focuses on the tribulation saints, who are called to witness the marriage supper of the Lamb. It will be quite exciting to see God’s plan for his saints revealed.