Has the Resurrection Already Happened?

As you read this, please empty your mind of any preconceived ideas you may have concerning the nature or timing of the resurrection. We simply are going to ask the question, “What does the Bible say concerning the timing of the resurrection?”

Question: Does the Old Testament predict the resurrection of the dead that is later discussed in passages like John 5:28-29 and 1 Corinthians 15?

If your answer was no or you’re not sure, please consult the following verses:

John 5:28,29 and Daniel 12:2

1 Corinthians 15:54 and Isaiah 25:8

1 Corinthians 15:55 and Hosea 13:14

Jesus said, “Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:21-22). He said a few verses later, “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place” (Luke 21:32).

Was the resurrection of the dead written about before Jesus made this statement? As seen above, yes it was. Then, Jesus places the fulfillment of the resurrection of the dead prophecies within that first century generation and no later than fall of Jerusalem. Regardless of what you previously thought (or think) about the nature of resurrection of the dead, it must find its fulfillment within the first century for Jesus’s prophecy to be accurate.