Greetings! Welcome back to our study on the Resurrection of the Dead. In this post, we’re going to talk about how when Jesus comes back at His Second Coming, He will not be alone. He will have a great and mighty army riding along with Him. He and His army will all be riding white horses as they go forth to conquer Antichrist and his army. In this short two-part series, we’re going to do a little study on His army… who is in the army and what do they look like in battle. Let’s begin!

THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

First in a Two-Part Series
By Karen Thompson

THE RESURRECTED DEAD ARE THE LORD’S ARMY

Traditionally, Bible scholars agree the Second Coming of Jesus will happen in two stages. The first stage is when Jesus descends from heaven in the sky, as described by the apostle Paul: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16–17 NKJV). This is describing the event called the resurrection of the dead, and it is the first stage of His Second Coming. At this point in time, the Lord’s feet do not touch down on the earth. He simply appears in the sky and gathers up the believers, both the dead and the living, and takes them back to heaven with Him.

The second stage of the Second Coming is when Jesus returns, again, to earth with His army and defeats Antichrist in the battle of Armageddon. Jesus then establishes His reign on the earth for 1,000 years as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In Revelation chapter 19, we get a picture of Jesus coming back with His army: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. … And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses” (Rev. 19:11–14 NKJV).

The Army of the Lord

The Lord doesn’t come back alone. He is accompanied by an army. In this chapter, that’s what I want to talk about—His army. Who are they? Revelation chapter 19 says Jesus comes back with an army, but this particular passage doesn’t tell us who makes up His army. However, different passages tell us His army is made up of both angels and His believers. And it makes sense that He would need both an angelic army and a human army. The angel army would do battle with Satan’s army of fallen angels in the unseen realm. And the human army would do battle with Antichrist and his armies of evil men in the seen realm.

In the book of Matthew, it says His angels are His army: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him…” (Matt. 25:31 NKJV) In 1^st Thessalonians, we see, again, Jesus comes with His mighty angels: “…when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” (1 Thess. 1:7 NKJV).

Now let’s look at the scriptures that talk about the Lord’s army being made up of His saints. First Thessalonians tells us the believers in His army will be made up of those who were raised up in the resurrection of the dead. They will come back as part of His army, and like Jesus, they will have glorified bodies. In order to do battle on the earth, it’s imperative they have physical bodies.

In that regard, it’s important to understand that people are comprised of three components: we are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a human body. When a believer dies, his physical body decomposes, but his spirit being goes to heaven. He then has a spirit body and lives in the unseen realm; he no longer has a flesh-and-blood body that can live and interact with humans on earth in the seen realm. In order to come back as part of the Lord’s army, he must have a flesh and bone body, like Jesus. Or as some humorously put it, he must have an “earth suit.” That’s why the resurrection of the dead must take place before the Lord’s return to defeat Antichrist. First Thessalonians confirms the resurrected believers will accompany Him as His army.

13 Now also we would not have you ignorant, brethren, about those who fall asleep [in death], that you may not grieve [for them] as the rest do who have no hope [beyond the grave]. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him through Jesus those who have fallen asleep [in death]. (1 Thess. 4:13–14 Amp.)

Paul is addressing the Thessalonian believers about what happens to the believers who died. He told them not to grieve for their loved ones who have died like unbelievers grieve who have no hope after death. Then he told them the most remarkable thing. He said the Lord will “bring with Him through Jesus those who have fallen asleep [in death].” When the Lord comes back, those believers who died in Christ will come back as part of His army—with their glorified bodies.

Paul said it again in the chapter before. First Thessalonians chapter three says, “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thess. 3:12–13 NKJV). When the Lord returns, He will come with all His saints.

Now let’s look at the book of Jude. It has one of the oldest prophecies of the Lord’s return given by Enoch: “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 1:14–15 NKJV). So here is Enoch prophesying so long ago about the Lord coming back with his saints. Enoch prophesied the Lord will come back with His saints to battle the ungodly for all their ungodly deeds.

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