Most Christians, when pressed to describe heaven, produce an image built almost entirely from poetry, hymnody, and imagination — not Scripture. Floating on clouds. Endless worship services. A kind of beautiful boredom. If that's heaven, it's hard to blame people for not being especially excited about going there. But that's not the biblical description. Scripture describes a real place, a real city, real bodies, real activity — and a resurrection that is, in Paul's words, 'the hope of Israel' and the centerpiece of the entire gospel.

Last time we surveyed the Book of Revelation — the final chapter of God's plan. Now we look at one of the most personally relevant truths in all of prophecy: the resurrection of the dead and the actual, physical nature of the heaven believers will inhabit.

Spiritual resurrection is what happens when your spirit is brought to life after being dead in sin. This kind of resurrection renews you in the image and likeness of God 1 Corinthians 11:7Ephesians 4:21-24Colossians 3:10James 3:9. You can see this taught in Ephesians 2:1-6; 5:14; Romans 6:11.

Here's the crucial thing: spiritual resurrection only happens in this life. Once physical death comes, any chance for spiritual resurrection is gone Ecclesiastes 11:1Hebrews 9:27Revelation 22:11.

Material resurrection is the resurrection of the body—and that's what we'll focus on for the rest of this study.

There are two kinds of physical resurrection. The righteous will rise to life before the Millennium, and the wicked will rise to damnation after the Millennium Daniel 12:3John 5:28-29Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15.

Think of it like two separate court dates on a divine calendar—there will be 1,000 years between these two resurrections Revelation 20:4-6.

1. The Fact of a Resurrection

The following Bible characters taught it: Job (19:25-27); Isaiah (26:14-19); Daniel (12:3); David Psalms 17:15Acts 2:31; Old Testament saints Hebrews 11:35; New Testament saints (Mt. 28; Mk. 16; Lk. 24; Jn. 20-21; Acts 2; 4; etc.); Jesus Matthew 16:21Matthew 22:23-31Luke 14:14Luke 20:27-36Luke 24:13-35; Matthew (28:1-20); Mark (16:1-18); Luke (24:1-49); John Revelation 20:4-6; Mary John 11:24; Herod Matthew 14:2; Peter 1 Peter 1:31 Peter 3:21; Paul Acts 17:18, 32Acts 23:6Acts 24:15, 21Romans 1:4Romans 6:5Romans 8:34Philippians 3:10-11Hebrews 6:2Hebrews 11:35.

2. The Resurrections Foretold

Scripture predicted these resurrections in many places Isaiah 26:14-19Daniel 12:3Psalms 16:10Matthew 12:41-42Matthew 20:19Matthew 27:631 Thessalonians 4:14-17Revelation 20:4-6John 5:28-29.

3. Examples of Resurrection—Temporary and Permanent

(1) Temporary—raised to mortality to die again: "a widow's son" 1 Kings 17:17-24; "the Shunammite's son" 2 Kings 4:18-37; "a Moabite invader" 2 Kings 13:20-21; "Jonah" Matthew 12:40; "Jairus' daughter" Matthew 9:18-26; "a widow's son of Nain" Luke 7:11-18; "Lazarus" (Jn. 11); "Tabitha" Acts 9:36-43; "Eutychus" Acts 20:6-12.

(2) Permanent—raised to immortality to live forever in their bodies. Christ "the firstfruits" was the first of all permanent resurrections 1 Corinthians 15:1-23, then there were many Old Testament saints Matthew 27:53.

4. The Order of the Resurrection

Here's the sequence laid out in 1 Corinthians 15:20-34:

Christ "the firstfruits" was the guarantee of the resurrection of all people 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. The "many" Old Testament saints arose immediately after Christ did Matthew 27:53.

Next in order will be those who are "in Christ" and "are Christ's" at the rapture 1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-581 Thessalonians 4:14-17. After that will be the 144,000 Jews as the manchild of Revelation 12:5.

Then comes the "great multitude" of tribulation saints and the two witnesses at the end of the Tribulation—they'll be there in time for the Marriage Supper and will return with Christ to establish His kingdom Revelation 6:9-11Revelation 7:9-17Revelation 11:2-13Revelation 15:2-4Revelation 20:4-6.

All these groups—because they are "holy," "blessed," and "just"—will be part of the first resurrection and will help complete it Revelation 20:4-6. The wicked dead won't be raised until 1,000 years later Revelation 20:4-15.