Table of Contents
This is Part 2 of a lesson exploring the figurative meanings of breath, death, grave, and resurrection. It reviews the previous lesson’s points about breath representing the word of life, and death representing the state of not having that word.
The main focus is on the figurative meanings of grave and resurrection. A grave represents an organization of false truth where the spiritually dead are gathered. Jesus referred to the Pharisees and teachers of the law as “whitewashed tombs” outwardly appearing righteous but inwardly full of dead men’s bones and uncleanness.
Resurrection represents a spirit coming back to life by receiving the word of life, coming out of the grave of false teachings. The lesson examines Old Testament prophecies like Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones, and how Jesus fulfilled them by giving the word that resurrected those who accepted it at his first coming.
It then looks at prophecies in Revelation about the need for a resurrection and coming out from the false Babylon at the time of the Second Coming, when the sealed words will be opened again to many peoples, nations and languages. The lesson emphasizes the urgency of receiving this word and coming out of spiritual graves of false teachings.
Secrets of Heaven Figurative Breath, Death, Grave and Resurrection Part Two
I hope everyone is eager to delve into the word of God today. We will be exploring part two of what we learned in the previous lesson, bringing this study to a conclusion so that we can fully comprehend the current state of the world and what actions we need to take in our time.
About the Test
I want to share my best study tips for the test. These tips have helped me through many tests, and I hope they will assist you as well.
1. My first tip for tackling the test is quiz, quiz, quiz.
Quiz yourself repeatedly. Don’t wait for us to conduct an official quiz in the class. You should be quizzing yourself frequently and consistently.
How do you conduct a quiz? Write down the questions on a blank sheet of paper and then answer them. Alternatively, have the questions written on a separate piece of paper, allowing you to take as many quizzes as you desire.
2. So, quiz, quiz, quiz. Quiz yourself on five questions at a time.
This approach reduces the mental load that quizzes can impose. Study questions one through five diligently, and then take a quiz. If you miss a question, study those same five questions again and retake the quiz.
Repeat the quiz until you pass all five questions perfectly. Then, move on to questions six to ten, studying them diligently. Quiz yourself repeatedly until you pass them all.
Proceed to questions 11 to 15. By following this method, you will solidify your understanding of questions one to ten, eliminating the need to revisit them.
If you attempt all 25 questions at once, you might forget some. This happens because you haven’t practiced the questions enough. You want the official test date to be the hundredth time you’ve taken the test. Then, it will be easy.
You’ll feel confident, thinking, “Oh yeah, I’ve got this. This is easy.” And you’ll breeze through the test.
So, quiz yourself multiple times.
3. My best technique for quizzing is to write the questions on one page, keeping the questions separate from the answers.
This approach allows me to avoid rewriting the questions repeatedly. For the answers, I write them on a different page. Then, I set the answer page aside so that I can quiz myself using only the question page.
After attempting to answer the questions, I refer to the separate answer page to check my responses. By having the questions on one page and the answers on another, I can effectively test my knowledge and understanding.
This method of separating questions and answers on different pages is an excellent test-taking technique.
If you follow these three steps, you’ll find the test much more manageable. Oh, there’s one more point to consider.
4. Since both the questions and answers are already provided, write down the answers word-for-word.
Accuracy is crucial here. Therefore, try your best not to paraphrase if possible. Simply write as it is written.
The answers are very concise. In this case, these are the four key points:
- Quiz yourself frequently. Even take a quiz tonight on the questions you’ve studied. Attempt five questions at a time to make it easier for yourself.
- Do not proceed to the next five questions until you have mastered the previous five.
- To facilitate quick quizzing, put questions on one page alone, so you don’t have to rewrite them repeatedly. Then, have the answers on a separate page that you can refer to after the quiz to check your responses.
- Word-for-word. Because the answers are already given, you don’t have to come up with them independently.
If you follow these four steps, the test will be straightforward.
Figurative Grave
Main Reference
New Testament Prophecy
John 5:28-29
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
Jesus provided us with some clues regarding the type of content we are reading here. Right? What did he say in verse 28 again? “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming.”
We know that this represents prophecy, right? A prophecy about a future time that is yet to come.
But which time are we reading about here? Which era is Jesus referring to when he says, “a time is coming”?
We are looking at the second coming, also known as the fulfillment of the revelations, the time of the revelations’ fulfillment. That’s the time Jesus is talking about here.
And what will happen during this time?
Those who are in graves will come out.
This should hold a different meaning for us now that we are studying graves and resurrection.
At the time of the second coming, those who are in graves will come out. Do not be amazed by this.
1. Physical Characteristics of a Grave (Tomb)
A grave or a tomb, you can also say a tomb is the same or very similar to a grave, is the dwelling place for bodies that have died.
1. A physical grave is where physical bodies are buried.
A tomb is similar to a grave, but in a tomb, more bodies are buried.
2. A tomb is the gathering place of many dead bodies. Many dead bodies are buried in a tomb.
So, considering these two characteristics, we should be able to apply them to a spiritual grave as well. A spiritual grave will share the same characteristics.
A spiritual grave will be where the spiritually dead are buried. The spiritually dead are buried there. This is pretty straightforward.
However, it is a sad reality for those who are buried in this type of place.
So, what is the reality of the tomb at the time of the first coming? We’ll look at the time of the first coming first to really come to a deep understanding of this.
2. Spiritual (True) Meaning of a Grave (Tomb)
Matthew 23:27-28
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
ONE – Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees, and this rebuke also includes the Sadducees and teachers of the law. Although Jesus is speaking directly to the Pharisees, his words apply to them all. What is he saying about the Pharisees?
In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus says, “You Pharisees are like whitewashed tombs. The Pharisees can also represent the Sadducees and teachers of the law in this context. Jesus calls them whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones on the inside.”
Jesus is making an important point here. One cannot discern who is righteous by physical appearance alone. If you were alive 2000 years ago and encountered a Pharisee without knowing much about Jesus, you would see someone who appears righteous, well-dressed, and proper in manner.
When such a person entered a room, everyone would welcome them, saying, “Oh, a Pharisee has joined us. Welcome, sir, please sit.” You would think, “This must be a truly righteous man.”
Look at how everyone reveres and treats them. But there’s something crucial to understand about them. On the outside, they appear like sheep, but on the inside, they are ferocious wolves.
Outwardly, they are whitewashed tombs, but inwardly, they are full of dead men’s bones. And what did Jesus also say in verse 28? “In the same way, on the outside, you appear to people as righteous, but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Appearance is not a reliable tactic for discernment. Disregard appearance immediately. It is the worst possible way to discern who is truthful and who is not.
You should not be listening to my words alone. What did Jesus himself say about this? I love the way the book of Luke describes this as well.
Luke 11:44
“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
TWO – Woe to you, who are like whitewashed tombs or unmarked graves.
An unmarked grave means that you can walk over it without realizing that someone is buried there. There is no marker or indication of the importance of the person beneath. You would not know until you dig up the grave and find the dead bodies underneath.
So, if you were to look at the Pharisees and Sadducees, they are like unmarked graves. You cannot discern that they are spiritually dead just by looking at them. You would walk right past them, unaware that they lack spiritual life.
Again, appearance alone cannot reveal whether someone is spiritually alive or dead. It is not a reliable method of discernment that we should use. And those who are spiritually dead can harm others around them in a specific way.
What would a Pharisee, Sadducee, or a teacher of the law do that could spiritually harm others?
What would they do? They would use their words, which represent the true state of their spiritual deadness, to negatively impact others.
Romans 3:13-14
13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
Their throats are open graves, and poison comes from their mouths.
When they speak, they kill the spirits of those listening. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 23, “You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, but when you do so, you make them twice as much a son of hell as you are.” When we say words are spirit, it is because one’s words either have the ability to give life to someone or to bring death to someone.
One of the biggest tragedies in our world today is children who never hear words of kindness, encouragement, and love from their parents. Some of us here in this class have gone through that ourselves, where we only heard chastisation, doubt, and discouragement from those who raised us. What does that do to a person’s heart and spirit after time after time of receiving negative words?
It destroys them.
Your words are very powerful, Class, and know that the more of the open words you receive, the more powerful your words become. You must speak carefully, and you must not use your words unwisely, and you must consider the spiritual maturity level of the one you are speaking to. Let me say this loudly for everyone in the back.
You in this class, after just three and a half months of studying the open word, are more spiritually mature than 90% of believers. That includes pastors. A pastor who does not know the open word versus someone who has only been learning the open word for two months is incomparable.
All you have to say is, “A figurative grave represents an organization of false truth according to Jesus,” and someone who hasn’t heard the open word yet will go, “Huh? What are you talking about?” And then you show them the passage, and their mind is blown because they never saw it that way.
But someone who is not ready to know this, if you say this to someone who hasn’t been studying, instead of giving them life, you’ll accidentally harm that person, like giving a steak to an infant and expecting the infant to be able to eat the steak. Be careful with your words. Your words are powerful now.
Be very careful. Be wise. Speak at a person’s eye level. Give milk to those who are spiritually infants so that they can grow. Then they can receive solid food. We’ll talk about how to do that tonight in small groups, so keep that in mind.
But the Pharisees and Sadducees were not careful with their words. They always cursed, they always lied, they always slandered, and they killed people with their words. So this is why Jesus, when he came, said, “You must leave these people. You cannot expect life, and for me, and while we’re still receiving death from them, it doesn’t work like that. You have to come out of these people. You have to leave them, for they are blind guides. All they have for you is death.” So a grave spiritually represents an organization of false truth. Those who teach falsehood bring death.
Figurative Resurrection
1. Physical Characteristics of Resurrection
One that was once dead now comes to life once again.
ONE – The spirit, also known as the breath, returns to the body. This represents the physical characteristics of resurrection. Let us examine how this concept is portrayed figuratively in prophecy and how it finds its fulfilment.
The spirit and the breath returning to the body is a parable representing the resurrection process. We will explore how this word, or lesson, unfolds across different eras, both when it was sealed and when it became open. The false hopes and lies will flee, giving way to the true seed of hope that comes out from the once dead state.
Old Testament Prophecy
Ezekiel 37:1-6
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
So what do we observe here?
Ezekiel has a vision. He said, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley filled with dry bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great multitude of bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were extremely dry, indicating that they had been dead for a very long time.
He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I replied, “Sovereign Lord, only You know.”
Then He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will come to life.'”
“‘I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'”
So let’s illustrate what happens here.
God speaks to Ezekiel, but He addresses him as “Son of Man,” which is a hint, and He instructs Ezekiel to prophesy.
Prophesy has a few meanings. We often think of it as speaking only about the future, which is indeed one meaning of prophecy. However, prophecy can also mean to preach or to speak, depending on the context. So He is telling Ezekiel to prophesy to these dry bones so that they may live again.
Ezekiel 37:7-10
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
The passage describes a figurative prophecy from Ezekiel. As he was instructed, Ezekiel prophesied, and the bones began to come together. Tendons, muscles, and skin formed over the bones. However, there was no breath of life within them.
Then, Ezekiel was told to call upon the breath to enter these forms. When the breath came into them, they awoke as a vast army. This represents their resurrection, the dead coming back to life.
The question remains: who are these ones that needed to be resurrected and brought back to life? The parable leaves this open for interpretation, but the key lesson is the hope of resurrection and fulfilment of this prophecy in its appointed time and era. The word is sealed until that moment when the dead shall come out and be revived.
Ezekiel 37:11-14
11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”
The vision of the dry bones in the book of Ezekiel is a figurative representation of the people of Israel or the house of Israel. These were individuals who once lived in the Promised Land but had long since become dead, both physically and spiritually.
However, God prophesies through Ezekiel that a time will come when He will open their graves and bring them out, resurrecting them from their dead state. He declares that He is the Lord, and they will come to celebrate and acknowledge Him as such.
As Ezekiel is a book of prophecy in the Old Testament, we know that the words spoken here must find their fulfilment at the time of the first coming.
Let us now examine how this prophecy of the dry bones being revived found its true realization during the era of the first coming.
First Coming Fulfillment
John 5:24-29
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
So, what do we see here? Jesus said something interesting. Did you catch what he said in verse 24?
“I tell you the truth. Whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed over from death to life.”
What else?
“I tell you the truth. A time is coming and has now come.” What did Jesus do there?
He’s talking about two times here, isn’t he? What two times is he talking about?
The time when he’s literally speaking at this very moment, but also a future time. So, keep that future time in mind. “A time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the son of God, and those who hear it will live.”
“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.” And because he is the Son of Man, he represents the reality of what Ezekiel saw.
So, Jesus here is someone like Ezekiel because the thing that Ezekiel saw in a vision, Jesus lived out in reality. Ezekiel was like a living parable, you could even say. Remember OPAGH: objects, people, animals, geographic locations, and historical events.
Ezekiel was the “People” in this case. Jesus lived out the words of Ezekiel. So, Jesus spoke to the people of Israel.
And as he spoke to them, those who listened came to life again. So, what happened to these people?
Let’s read verses 28 and 29 once again. Jesus said, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out. Those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”
So, those who are in their graves will come out of their graves and will exit their graves.
So, two things need to happen here:
- To hear the word
- To come out
Because it doesn’t make sense for someone who comes to life to recognize they’re in a grave and willingly stay in the grave. What a horrific experience! “Get me out of here. Whatever it takes. Stick your hand in the dirt. I’m out of here.”
“I’m not staying here. This isn’t a place for me to dwell anymore.” One who is resurrected must come out of the grave that they were in when they recognize where that grave is.
They have to come out. Okay. So, this was at the time of the first coming.
Now, let’s look at the time of the second coming. When the resurrection must take place in the same way that it happened at the time of the first coming.
New Testament Prophecy
Revelation 18:1-3
After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a]
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
THREE – We have a state of a people described here.
First, we see an angel from heaven come down, and he shouts with a loud voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great.” Now, this is in the book of Revelation. Revelation is a vision for a future time.
The nation of Babylon has long since, for thousands of years, been extinct, right? The nation of Babylon does not exist anymore today. Will the nation of Babylon appear once again and call themselves “We are Babylon,” announcing it at the UN? No, that is not what will happen.
If we understand how prophecies work, we’ll realize that the name “Babylon” is being used figuratively, meaning that a place or places will appear that will have similar characteristics to the original Babylon. What did Babylon do? Well, at the time of kings like Solomon, the nation of Babylon was strong and powerful.
When the Israelites sinned against God, broke His covenant, and worshiped idols in Israel during Solomon’s time, God was very angry with those people. He allowed the nation of Babylon to consume them. Assyria consumed the north, and Babylon consumed the south. The Israelites were enslaved in that location for 70 years. That’s what happened in history. So, the fact that God is naming Babylon in Revelation means a place will appear that will do a very similar thing.
It will capture those who belong to God, and it will hold them tight.
But we see here in Revelation 18 that it says, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon,” which means that Babylon is going to be judged. Glory to God! But what is Babylon? What is this place?
Because this place is a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit. And at this place, a particular type of food is given, maddening wine.
We have actually looked at the figurative meaning of wine before, haven’t we?
Figurative wine represents the word, but maddening wine or wild wine represents Satan’s lies.
Is the maddening wine Hinduism? Is the maddening wine Islam? Is the maddening wine Taoism? Is the maddening wine Buddhism? No, it is not.
And it’s certainly not a wine we should drink, don’t get me wrong, but it is not the maddening wine of Revelation 18.
Who is Satan’s main target? Can Satan get you with Hinduism? Well, can Satan get you with Buddhism? Oh, he can’t? Well, what can he get you with? Lies, but not just any lies. What kind of lies? That’s his greatest tool, the twisting of God’s word.
That’s the easiest tool that will get the people he’s trying to go after. Non-believers aren’t his target. He already has them. They’ve already been consumed. Who are his targets? Those who are trying to get closer to God.
You are his target. I am his target. He’s coming for you. As an angel masquerading as light, like 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, you are his target. 2 Thessalonians 2:9, who sets himself in God’s temple to be worshipped as God.
You’re his target. As you noticed in the Old Testament, Satan’s tactics evolved over time. In the early days, it was physical idols, like the golden calf, that he went after the people with. Eventually, the people became wise to those things. So what did he do?
He used the nations around them to entice them into sin. Then after that, he came to people and gave them dreams. And then those people would say, “I had a dream from the Lord. I had a dream for the Lord.” And now the people are confused. “Wait, is he right or is he right? This guy says his word is from the Lord, and so does this guy. Who do we follow?” His tactics evolved to grab the people of that time. So what about today?
What are his tactics today? Are we in the clear? Or is there a bunch of maddening wine today that many are drinking?
When someone is drunk, they don’t know that they’re drunk. Oftentimes, they’ll claim, “No, I’m okay. I’m doing just fine. No, I can do it. I can walk down the stairs. No, no, I can do it myself. Okay, here we go. Right? Oh, I can drive. No problem. I got this. I only had a few drinks.” You put down 10 drinks, bro. Right? You don’t take his keys. He can’t discern whether or not he’s ready to drive or not. “No, you’re drunk. I’m not drunk.” A person who is drunk does not claim that they are drunk, oftentimes. And they lose the ability to discern. Their decision-making becomes hampered.
So what is God saying? “My people, my people are drunk with the maddening wine, everyone. My people.” And not just some nations. What does he say? Back to Revelation 18:3. What does the first few verses of Revelation 18:3 say? “For some of the nations. For most of the nations. All. All nations.”
All nations. No exceptions. All nations are drunk on the maddening wine of adultery. All nations. All nations but mine. Mine is fine. My nation’s doing well. Right? We tend to do that, don’t we? “No, I’m doing great. I’m in the right. But I didn’t know these things, but I’m in the right.”
Let us not have thoughts like that. All nations are drunk on the maddening wine of adultery. So what needs to happen in our time? What Jesus promised. Jesus’ words must be fulfilled. And how will they be fulfilled? What must take place to remedy this situation?
Second Coming Fulfillment
The revelation of Jesus Christ, as stated in Revelation 1:1-3, is what must take place. God gave this revelation to Jesus to show His servants the events that will soon occur. Jesus made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who testifies to everything he saw.
This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud. And blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, for the time is near for these prophesied events to happen.
As prophesied in Revelation, this revelation needs to take place exactly as it is written. It comes from God, to Jesus Christ, to the angel, to John, and then to be shared with many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.
Revelation 10:8-11
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a]” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings. It sounds a lot like Ezekiel 37, doesn’t it? Speak to the valley of dry bones.
The logic is the same. This is how God has always done things. Come to one, speak to many, bring them out.
Come to one, speak to many, bring them out. That’s God’s pattern. It was the case with Moses, Joshua, Jonah, and Jesus.
That’s how God has always worked. He comes to one person, speaks to many through that person, and brings them out. It’s like that.
For they don’t realize they’re in captivity. So let us come out. As Revelation 18:4 says, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.”
And if someone is still in Babylon when Babylon is being judged, I don’t want to know what happens. So let’s not be there.
Memorization
Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
Let’s Us Discern
Discernment is still a work in progress …. Proverbs 14:15 (ESV)
“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.”
Analysis
Questions to Self-Reflect
Outline
The Figurative Meanings of Grave and Resurrection in the Bible
Part 1: Review & Introduction
- Review: This section briefly recaps the previous lesson’s content on breath and death, establishing that breath symbolizes the word of life, while death represents the absence of it.
- Introduction: Introduces the focus of the current lesson: the figurative meanings of “grave” and “resurrection,” prompting readers to contemplate their spiritual interpretations.
Part 2: Understanding the Grave
- Physical Characteristics: Explains that a physical grave, or tomb, serves as a burial place for dead bodies, drawing a parallel to a spiritual grave where the spiritually dead reside.
- Spiritual Meaning:
- Matthew 23:27-28: Explores Jesus’s rebuke of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and teachers of the law, using the analogy of “whitewashed tombs” to illustrate their outward righteousness concealing inner hypocrisy and wickedness. This emphasizes the unreliability of physical appearances for spiritual discernment.
- Luke 11:44: Continues the analogy, comparing them to “unmarked graves,” emphasizing the hidden nature of their spiritual deadness.
- Romans 3:13-14: Connects the Pharisees’ spiritually dead state to their harmful words, characterizing their throats as “open graves” and their speech as poisonous, highlighting the power of words to bring life or death. This section stresses the importance of careful speech, especially for those who have received the “open word,” as their words carry greater spiritual weight.
Part 3: Understanding the Resurrection
- Physical Characteristics: Defines physical resurrection as the return of life to a deceased body, symbolized by the spirit (breath) re-entering the body. It introduces the concept of this being a parable representing the spiritual resurrection process.
- Old Testament Prophecy (Ezekiel 37)Ezekiel 37:1-6: Analyzes Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones, where God commands him to prophesy, symbolizing the preaching of the word of life, to bring them back to life. This introduces the concept of prophecy having multiple meanings, including speaking about the future, preaching, and general speaking.
- Ezekiel 37:7-10: Describes the bones coming together to form bodies through Ezekiel’s prophecy, but lacking the breath of life. God instructs Ezekiel to call upon the breath, signifying the infusion of the word of life, resulting in the resurrection of a vast army, symbolic of a revitalized people.
- Ezekiel 37:11-14: Reveals that the dry bones represent the people of Israel, once dwelling in the Promised Land but fallen into spiritual and physical death. God, through Ezekiel, promises their resurrection, symbolizing their return to spiritual life and their land. The prophecy’s setting in the Old Testament signifies its fulfillment at the time of the first coming of Jesus.
- First Coming Fulfillment (John 5)John 5:24-29: Examines Jesus’ words, highlighting two key points: 1) Hearing his word and believing in God grants eternal life, signifying the transition from spiritual death to life; 2) A time is coming, and has already arrived, where the dead will hear his voice and live, referring to both his present ministry and a future time. This section emphasizes the parallel between Jesus’ actions and Ezekiel’s vision, positioning Jesus as the fulfillment of that prophecy.
- Identifying the Need for a Second Coming ResurrectionRevelation 18:1-3: Analyzes the proclamation of Babylon’s fall by an angel, identifying “Babylon” as a figurative representation of places characterized by spiritual captivity and deception. The “maddening wine” offered in Babylon symbolizes Satan’s lies, particularly the twisting of God’s word, targeting believers and leading them astray. This section draws a comparison to drunkenness, emphasizing the loss of discernment and impaired decision-making caused by consuming these lies.
- Revelation 18:3: Highlights the impact of this “maddening wine” reaching all nations, signifying the widespread prevalence of spiritual deception and the need for a remedy.
- Second Coming Fulfillment (Revelation)Revelation 1:1-3: Establishes the importance of the revelation of Jesus Christ to expose the events leading to the second coming. This revelation, received by John and shared with all nations, serves as a warning and a call to preparation.
- Revelation 10:8-11: Describes John consuming the scroll, symbolizing the internalization of the prophecy, which turns his stomach sour, suggesting the difficult and challenging nature of the message. The command to prophesy again mirrors Ezekiel’s call, emphasizing the pattern of God working through individuals to spread his word and liberate his people from spiritual death.
- Revelation 18:4: This concluding section reinforces the call to separate from Babylon (spiritual deception) before its judgment.
This lesson provides an overview of the spiritual interpretations of “grave” and “resurrection,” linking them to the dangers of spiritual deception and the hope offered by the second coming of Jesus. It emphasizes the power of God’s word to bring life and the need for discernment in navigating the complexities of spiritual truth.
A Study Guide
Unmasking Babylon: Understanding Spiritual Death and Resurrection
Quiz
Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.
- What is the figurative meaning of “breath” and “death” in the context of this lesson?
- How did Jesus differentiate between the spiritually alive and dead during His first coming?
- Explain the analogy of the Pharisees as “whitewashed tombs.”
- What is the significance of Jesus’ statement, “Let the dead bury their own dead”?
- How can spiritually dead individuals negatively impact others?
- What is meant by “maddening wine” in Revelation 18?
- Explain the symbolism of the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision.
- How did the prophecy of the dry bones find fulfillment during the first coming of Jesus?
- What is the role of the Revelation of Jesus Christ in addressing the spiritual state of the world today?
- What is the significance of the command to “prophesy again” in Revelation 10?
Answer Key
- Breath figuratively represents the Word of Life, while death represents the absence of this life-giving Word. Those who have the Word of Life are spiritually alive, while those without it are spiritually dead.
- Jesus did not equate being a believer with being spiritually alive. Instead, He emphasized that true life came from believing in Him as the Son of God and accepting His words. This distinction meant that even believers could be spiritually dead if they rejected Him.
- The Pharisees, representing religious leaders of the time, were likened to whitewashed tombs because they appeared righteous and beautiful on the outside but were filled with hypocrisy and wickedness on the inside. This analogy highlights the danger of judging spiritual life based on outward appearances.
- This statement, directed at one of His disciples, emphasizes that even those who claim to follow God can be spiritually dead if they do not truly embrace the Word of Life. It underscores the importance of genuine faith and spiritual connection over mere religious affiliation.
- Spiritually dead individuals, despite their outward appearance, can spread falsehood and negativity through their words, harming the spiritual well-being of others. Their words act as a poison, killing the spirit and hindering genuine spiritual growth.
- “Maddening wine” symbolizes the deceptive and destructive lies of Satan, particularly those disguised as interpretations of God’s Word. This “wine” intoxicates individuals, clouding their judgment and leading them astray from the truth.
- The dry bones represent the spiritually dead people of Israel, who had lost hope and connection with God. They symbolize a state of spiritual desolation and separation from the life-giving presence of God.
- The prophecy found fulfillment when Jesus, through His words and ministry, breathed new life into the spiritually dead. Those who heard and accepted His message experienced spiritual resurrection, coming out of their metaphorical graves and embracing the truth He offered.
- The Revelation of Jesus Christ serves as a wake-up call, exposing the prevalence of spiritual death and the pervasiveness of Satan’s deception, symbolized by Babylon. It offers hope and guidance for individuals to escape this spiritual decay and find true life in Christ.
- This command, similar to Ezekiel’s call to prophesy to the dry bones, signifies the need to proclaim the truth of God’s Word in a world saturated with spiritual falsehood. It highlights the mission to awaken the spiritually dead and guide them towards genuine life and connection with God.
Additional Questions
1. What is the meaning of the Figurative Grave and Resurrection?
– Grave/Tomb: Organization of False Truth
– Resurrection: Sprit Living again through the word of Life
2. Who were the Grave/Tomb in the First Coming?
– Pharisees, Sadducees and Teachers of the Law (Matthew 23:27-28)
3. How will the Israelites be resurrected at the time of First Coming?
– Old Testament Prophecy: Ez 37:1-14 (Son of Man breathe life to Bones)
– First Coming Fulfillment: John 5:24-29 (God → Jesus → People of Israel
– Come out from the grave
4. What about the today at Second Coming? How will we be resurrected?
– New Testament Prophecy: Rv 18:1-4 (All Nations Drunk with maddening wine of adultery)
– Second Coming Fulfillment: Rv 1:1-3 (God → Jesus → Angel → New John → PNLK (People, Nations, Languages and Kingdoms)
Glossary
- Breath: Figuratively represents the Word of Life, which brings spiritual life and vitality.
- Death: Represents the absence of the Word of Life, leading to spiritual emptiness and separation from God.
- Grave: Symbolizes an organization or system that perpetuates false teachings and keeps individuals trapped in spiritual death.
- Resurrection: The act of coming to spiritual life through accepting the Word of Life, escaping spiritual death, and embracing truth.
- Whitewashed Tombs: Analogy used by Jesus to describe the Pharisees, who appeared righteous outwardly but harbored inner hypocrisy and wickedness.
- Unmarked Graves: Represent the hidden nature of spiritual death, where individuals may appear outwardly alive but lack true spiritual life.
- Maddening Wine: Symbolizes the deceptive and intoxicating lies of Satan, often disguised as interpretations of God’s Word.
- Babylon: In Revelation, represents a system or entity that embodies spiritual corruption, falsehood, and enslavement.
- Prophecy: A divinely inspired message or revelation concerning past, present, or future events, often conveying warnings, promises, or calls to repentance.
- Fulfillment: The realization or accomplishment of a prophecy, demonstrating the accuracy and trustworthiness of God’s Word.
Breakdown
Timeline of Events:
This lesson primarily focuses on interpreting biblical passages about spiritual death and resurrection, drawing parallels between the first coming of Jesus and a prophesied second coming. It does not present a chronological timeline of historical events. However, we can outline the spiritual journey it describes:
Old Testament Era:
- Prophecy of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37): Ezekiel receives a vision of a valley of dry bones, symbolizing the spiritually dead people of Israel. God promises to breathe life into them, representing a future resurrection.
First Coming of Jesus:
- Fulfillment of Ezekiel’s Prophecy: Jesus, as the Son of Man, fulfills the role of Ezekiel in bringing spiritual life to those who hear and believe his word. This marks the beginning of the resurrection for some.
- Jesus Condemns False Teachers (Matthew 23, Luke 11): Jesus rebukes the Pharisees, Sadducees, and teachers of the law, calling them “whitewashed tombs” and “unmarked graves” full of spiritual death. They spread lies and kill others spiritually with their words.
Present Era:
- Babylon’s Rise and Fall (Revelation 18): A new “Babylon” emerges, characterized by spiritual deception and the spread of “maddening wine,” representing Satan’s twisting of God’s word. This Babylon is destined to fall under God’s judgment.
Second Coming of Jesus:
- Revelation of Jesus Christ: The events prophesied in the Book of Revelation unfold, including the full revelation of truth through Jesus Christ.
- Call to Come Out of Babylon (Revelation 18:4): A call goes out to God’s people to separate themselves from Babylon before its destruction.
- New Prophecy (Revelation 10): John receives a scroll representing a new prophecy that he must share with many peoples, nations, languages, and kings. This echoes Ezekiel’s call to prophesy to the dry bones.
- Final Resurrection: All who are in spiritual graves will hear Jesus’s voice and come out, leading to a final judgment and separation between those who have done good and those who have done evil.
Cast of Characters:
- Jesus Christ: The central figure, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies and bringing spiritual life through his word. He is both the Son of God and the Son of Man, representing the fulfillment of God’s plan for humanity.
- Ezekiel: An Old Testament prophet who receives a vision of dry bones, symbolizing the spiritually dead people of Israel. His prophecy foreshadows the resurrection through Jesus Christ.
- John: The apostle who receives the revelation of Jesus Christ and is instructed to share the prophecy with the world.
- Pharisees, Sadducees, and Teachers of the Law: Religious leaders during Jesus’s time, condemned for their hypocrisy and spiritual deadness. They represent those who teach false truths and lead others astray.
- The Speaker: An unnamed teacher presenting a lesson based on the biblical passages. They emphasize the urgency of understanding spiritual truth, particularly in light of the prophesied events of the second coming.
Notes:
- The lesson primarily focuses on interpreting biblical passages and does not provide specific names or details for most individuals.
- The timeline focuses on the spiritual journey described in the text rather than historical events.
- The term “Babylon” is used figuratively to represent any system or organization that spreads spiritual deception and leads people away from God.
Overview
Overview: Figurative Death, Grave, and Resurrection in the Bible
Main Theme: This lesson examines the concept of spiritual death, graves, and resurrection in the Bible, drawing parallels between the time of Jesus’s first coming and the prophesied events of the second coming. It argues that organizations teaching false truths are “graves,” from which individuals must “resurrect” by embracing the true Word of God.
Key Ideas and Facts:
1. Spiritual Death and Life:
- Breath symbolizes the Word of Life. Death represents the absence of this Word. (Source: Class 53)
- Believing in God is not the sole criterion for spiritual life. Accepting the life sent by God, Jesus Christ, is the true standard. (Source: Class 53)
2. Figurative Graves:
- Jesus likened Pharisees and religious leaders to “whitewashed tombs” and “unmarked graves” – outwardly righteous but inwardly filled with hypocrisy and death. (Source: Matthew 23:27-28, Luke 11:44, Class 53)
- Organizations teaching false truths are figurative graves. Their words bring spiritual death instead of life. (Source: Romans 3:13-14, Class 53)
- Example: “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” (Source: Romans 3:13)
3. Figurative Resurrection:
- Resurrection involves hearing the true Word of God and coming out of the “grave” of falsehood. (Source: John 5:28-29, Class 53)
- Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones coming to life through prophecy prefigures spiritual resurrection. (Source: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Class 53)
- This prophecy found initial fulfillment during Jesus’s first coming, when those who heard and believed his words were resurrected from spiritual death. (Source: John 5:24-29, Class 53)
4. Second Coming and Babylon:
- Revelation prophesies a future “Babylon,” representing organizations spreading spiritual falsehood. (Source: Revelation 18:1-3, Class 53)
- “Maddening wine” symbolizes Satan’s lies, particularly the twisting of God’s Word, which intoxicates and deceives nations. (Source: Revelation 18:3, Class 53)
- A call to come out of “Babylon” to avoid judgment echoes the need to escape the graves of false teachings. (Source: Revelation 18:4, Class 53)
5. God’s Pattern of Redemption:
- God consistently works through individuals to reach and revive many. He calls one person, empowers them to speak to the masses, and leads them out of spiritual captivity. (Source: Class 53)
- Examples: Moses, Joshua, Jonah, Jesus. (Source: Class 53)
Call to Action:
- Discern spiritual truth from falsehood. Recognize that outward appearances can be deceptive, and focus on the substance of teachings.
- Be careful with words, recognizing their power to give life or death. Speak wisely and consider the spiritual maturity of the listener.
- Heed the call to come out of “Babylon,” rejecting false teachings and embracing the true Word of God found in Revelation.
Note: This overview is based solely on the provided lesson and may not represent a comprehensive theological perspective. Further study and exploration of Biblical interpretations are encouraged.
Q&A
Q&A: Figurative Death, Grave, and Resurrection in the Bible
1. What is the figurative meaning of “breath” and “death” in the Bible?
Breath symbolizes the word of life, representing truth and spiritual vitality.
Death signifies the absence of the word of life, a state of spiritual emptiness and separation from God.
2. How does Jesus connect the concept of “graves” to spiritual death?
In the Gospels, Jesus uses the imagery of “whitewashed tombs” and “unmarked graves” to describe the Pharisees and Sadducees. Outwardly, they appeared righteous, but inwardly, they were filled with spiritual decay. These “graves” represent organizations or systems that perpetuate false teachings and lead people away from God’s truth, ultimately causing spiritual death.
3. What is the “maddening wine” of Babylon in Revelation, and why is it significant?
“Maddening wine” symbolizes the distorted and false interpretations of God’s word that permeate the world. It represents a deceptive blend of truth and lies that intoxicates people spiritually, leading them astray from genuine faith. It highlights the prevalence of spiritual deception in the end times.
4. How do the physical characteristics of resurrection relate to spiritual resurrection?
Physical resurrection involves the return of breath (spirit) to a lifeless body. Spiritually, this parallels the process of receiving the word of life and experiencing a revival of one’s spirit. It signifies moving from a state of spiritual death to a vibrant life in Christ.
5. How is the prophecy of the dry bones in Ezekiel fulfilled in both the Old and New Testaments?
Old Testament: Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones coming to life symbolized the future restoration of the Israelites, both physically and spiritually.
New Testament: This prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. His words bring spiritual life to those who believe, just as breath revived the dry bones. Those who hear and accept his teachings experience a spiritual resurrection, moving from spiritual death to life.
6. What is the significance of the command to “come out of Babylon” in Revelation?
This call is a warning and an invitation to separate oneself from the corrupt systems and false teachings of the world. It emphasizes the urgency of seeking truth and aligning oneself with God’s word to avoid judgment.
7. How does God’s pattern of working with humanity repeat throughout the Bible?
God consistently chooses individuals to carry his message to the masses, leading them out of spiritual darkness. Examples include Moses, Joshua, Jonah, and ultimately, Jesus Christ. This pattern highlights God’s initiative in reaching out to humanity and offering salvation.
8. How can understanding figurative language in the Bible enhance our spiritual growth?
Recognizing the deeper meaning behind biblical imagery allows us to grasp the full scope of God’s message. It helps us connect the events of the past to our present spiritual journeys and understand the importance of seeking truth and living according to God’s word.