Is There a Second Resurrection?

Bruce Bird—July 12, 2025

 - Video |  - PDF | Audio | [Up]

Back in 2005, UCG wrote an article in their Good News magazine, and it was a dandy. It had talked about the second resurrection and explaining the importance of the second resurrection and how it unfolds.

But a couple from New Jersey took offense at this, and they wrote in their displeasure. They felt the Church had written something wrong. They felt the Church implied there was a second chance for salvation once we're dead. You get your first chance for salvation, but you blew it, so you get your second chance. They said this is a very dangerous teaching as it gives people a false sense of security and thinking they will have another chance than what's offered in the Bible.

They said, If we don't see a written rebuttal in the next issue, you can cancel our subscription.'

Now, brethren, they might have been very sincere people. This issue is complicated until we hear and comprehend God's Plan for mankind as outlined in God's Holy Days, especially the fall Holy Hays.

• Is there life after death for all?
• Is there a second chance?

Well today, I'd like to address that. How about someone in a heathen nation who's 500 years ago galloping along on a horse, the horse stumbles, he's thrown from the saddle into a pile of rocks, he dies instantly. The missionaries haven't gotten here, yet.

Today, 500 years later, there's not even a bell buckle or a tooth; he's turned to dust. Probably not the same color, language or race of many of us or creed, probably from a polytheistic demon-worshiping culture.

What are their chances and where is he today? Ask that of some of your Protestant friends and see where it takes you.

If any of you came out of mainstream Protestant or Catholic professing Christianity, you're probably taught that at death, you either go to heaven for eternity or you go and live in hell for eternity. And eternal life in hell and then of course, purgatory is another story, but I'm not going to go there.

But let's start in Acts 4 because Peter and John are preaching and they're causing quite a stir, and naturally the Pharisees show up.

Acts 4:1: "Now, as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being dismayed because they were teaching the people, and preaching through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in the hold… [the slammer] …until the morning; for it was already evening" (vs 1-3). So, Peter and John were grilled in the morning!

Verse 7: "And after placing them in the midst, they inquired, 'By what power or in what name did you do this?' Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we are examined this day as to a good work done to the infirm man, by what power he has been cured, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean, Whom you crucified, but Whom God has raised from the dead, by Him this man stands before you whole" (vs 7-10).

So, they pointed it out, and they had stirred up 5,000 people:

Verse 4: "But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of men was about five thousand."

Brethren, this in inspired speaking! Don't we wish we could do that today? There may be a day coming when we do!

Verse 12: "And there is no salvation in any other, for neither is there another name under heaven which has been given among men, by which we must be saved.' That name is Jesus Christ!

That couple from New Jersey had a good point, because perhaps they concluded that a person could live any ole life they choose, whether they go to church or not, maybe get baptized or not, maybe even sing in the choir, and then do what they want. They get old and die, doesn't matter; they'll come up in the second resurrection and they get to do it all over again.

So you see, they have a pretty good point. They feel that they will be given a second chance. NO! That is not what the article said,  because they covered in:

Acts 4 12: "…there another name under heaven which has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

What about the good people who have ever lived? Well, we're going to touch on that, too.

John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have everlasting life."

2-Peter 3:9: "…He is longsuffering toward us, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

So, we can conclude that God wants all to come to repentance but most are not yet called. Most are not yet called. So how is God going to save all men? Well, we see it here in:

John 12:35: "Then Jesus said to them, 'Yet, a little while the Light is with you. Walk while you have the Light, so that the darkness will not overtake you. For the one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.'"

Don't our neighbors and friends, as good as they are, walk in darkness? They don't think they do!

Verse 36: "'While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become the children of Light.' Jesus spoke these things and then departed from them and was in hiding."

So was there a shortage of belief? Yeah! And what's changed today?

Verse 38: "So that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled who said, 'Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?' For this very reason they could not believe because again Isaiah said, 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I would heal them'" (vs 38-40).

So, God blinds the eyes of mankind. If God blinds them, have they lost out on salvation even if they die? Well, day eight of the Feast of Tabernacles answers that question!

Verse 12:41: "Isaiah said these things when he saw His glory and spoke concerning Him. But even so, many among the rulers believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him so that they wouldnot be put out of the synagogue" (vs 41-42).

That's called 'peer pressure,' brethren; peer pressure! You know, the hierarchical authority.

Verse 43: "For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God."

So, their priorities are all mixed up! But they know what side of the bread their butter is on, don't they?

Verse 43: "For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. Then Jesus called out and said, 'The one who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him Who sent Me'" (vs 43-44).

So peer pressure rears its ugly head again and again. We see the same thing our lives and all around us. There's a hardening of the heart of Israel, the whole world in fact. So, they lived and they died and they denied the Truth to salvation. There are sins, regular sins and unpardonable sins.

Matthew 12:30: "The one who is not with Me is against Me, and the one who does not gather with Me scatters. Because of this, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; that shall not be forgiven to men" (vs 30-31). A total rejection of God and his power and the Holy Spirit!

Verse 32: "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming age."

So, it talks about a coming age. Total rejection of God, all that He stands for. All of the Churches of God are as nothing to them. They hate God, they hate Jesus Christ.

I know an individual like that now and he was my brother in the faith. And it's a sad, sad thing when you see it happen, and it does happen! Not very often fortunately!

Romans 2:11—we see God is no respecter of persons: because there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned within the Law shall be judged by the Law, because the hearers of the Law are not just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified" (vs 11-13).

Paul is saying here that hearing alone doesn't cut it! We've got to hear and we've got to do it! He goes on in Rom. 2 to show the knowledge with hypocrisy is dead works. I think we can say faith without works is dead!

Heb. 12 is a wonderful book in the Bible with so much information. The whole Bible is a miracle! Any names written in the Book of Life? Yep! All those saints who died in the faith are perfected saints, and probably you and I know some of them that we've lived with, they've died in the faith, we're awaiting a future resurrection to once again give them a hug.

Hebrews 12:22: "But you have come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of angels; to the joyous festival gathering; and to the Church of the Firstborn, registered in the Book of Life in heaven; and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the just who have been perfected" (vs 22-23).

Brethren, if that isn't us I don't know who it is. Do we know anybody that died in the faith? Sure, probably. I go to funerals all the time. I've had a lot of decades in the Church and I wouldn't change it for anybody.

John 5:24: "Truly, truly I say to you, the one who hears My Word, and believes Him Who sent Me, has everlasting life and does not come into judgment; for he has passed from death into life. Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live" (vs 24-25).

There will be a wonderful time. Future tense. And who has this full authority?

Verse 27: "And has also given Him authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of man…. [and all hear his voice] … Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which all…" (vs 27-28).

That's the whole world, all 20 to 50 billion of us from Adam and Eve to now and into this at this point in time.

"…who are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth: those who have practiced good unto a resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil unto a resurrection of judgment" (vs 28-29). The righteous, and those not yet called!

Let's go back to Rev. 20 because we're going to be going to Ezek. 37 and talking about a second resurrection. Where would we be in Ezekiel without Revelation to point the way especially Rev. 20?

Death is not a problem for God. In Rev. 20 we see a promise that appears that people are going to live again.

Revelation 20:11: "Then I saw a great white Throne and the One Who was sitting on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works" (vs 11-12).

Are works important. Looks like it to me according to their works. These were the dead and they're now standing.

Verse 13: "And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead that were in them; and they were judged individually, according to their works. And death and the grave were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death" (vs 13-14). If there's a second death there has to be a second resurrection.

Verse 15: "And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire."

So it talks about a second death! Let's go back to the second resurrection. We are admonished to assemble together.

Heb. 10 is a memory Scripture that we all use because it matters a lot to us assembling together. We're admonished to assemble together because:

Hebrews 10:24: "And let us be concerned about one another, and be stirring up one another unto love and good works… [Where do we do that? When we come together at Church] …not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, even as some are accustomed to do; but rather, encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (vs 24-25).

Brethren, we've all been through COVID. We knew how hard that was. We're past that now and hopefully it stays away for a long time.

Verse 26: "For if we willfully go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the Truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins."

Who? The converted who are now who now reject God and the Holy Spirit!

Verse 27: "But a terrifying expectation of inevitable judgment and of fierce fire, which will devour the adversaries of God."

Brethren. this is not pleasant! {note: Hebrews 6:4-6 about the same thing} Those who think that God is playing games here; He is not! Baptism is a covenant for life, and at baptism we commit to keeping the faith with that till our last breath.

Ezek. 37 is a tremendous chapter because it means so much. It's the answer to all of our friends and neighbors and brethren that go to churches, they go to funerals all the time, they never ask a question. I guess 'ignorance is bliss,' and yet, they're nice people. So here we find here the second resurrection, a second resurrection to physical life, to physical temporary finite life, but the first call to salvation!

I think that's what the couple from New Jersey probably missed in there when they wrote in saying 'we don't agree with this.'

Ezekiel 37 does answer this, we find a second resurrection, second physical life, but first chance to salvation! These are the 'rest of the dead' going right back to Adam and Eve. All the way back to all the millions who died in the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean, the Vietnam Wars, wars back since Adam and Eve, and they're going to be given the Holy Spirit! Maybe never had an opportunity. You think of the millions that have been aborted?

• Did they have an opportunity?
• Did they have a chance to reject the knowledge for salvation?
• What about little children?
• The ones in Gaza? They died without knowledge. Terrible! Brutal!

Perhaps died before the age of accountability. Certainly were if they're just so small. But Ezek. 37 is a resurrection to physical life:

Ezekiel 37:1: "The hand of the LORD was on me, and brought me by the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of a valley, and it was full of bones…. [he goes on to talk about them, these are dry bones] …And He made me walk among them all around. And behold, very many were in the open valley. And lo, they were very dry. And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord GOD, You know.' Again He said to me, 'Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, "O dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD"'" (vs 1-4).

Verse 5: "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am the LORD'" (vs 5-6).

What a time this will be. And obviously they died without the knowledge of the Lord.

Verse 7: "So, I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise. And behold, a shaking! And the bones came together, a bone to its bone. And as I watched, behold the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above. But there was no breath in them" (vs 7-8).

Verse 11: "And He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel….'" Israel first and then the rest of the world!

Verse 13: "And you shall know that I am the LORD when I have opened your graves, O My people, and have brought you up out of your graves."

Brethren, when somebody comes up out of their graves, don't we figure they'll be looking for God. This isn't natural. There's a God here somewhere.

Verse 14: "'And I shall put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. And you shall know that I the LORD have spoken it and have done it,' says the LORD."

What a wonderful time!, the process conversion becomes open to them for the first time! They died without knowledge of God and now this will be changed. A second chance? NO! They died without their first opportunity for salvation! We're all given only one opportunity for salvation. For the unwashed masses, they were never called and they were happy to not even question why they were here.

We, brethren, are a privileged minority! We have been given privileged 'insider information' and we have a high responsibility to use it wisely. We know that in the future in:

Verse 24: "And David My servant shall be king over them…."

This is what we called—in Worldwide Church of God—'a wonderful world tomorrow.'

Those who have committed the unpardonable sin will never repent and will never receive forgiveness in this age nor in the coming age.

• you think of Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Pol Pot
• you think of the Kazarian mafia, the Illuminati

Terrible people, satanic people! Will they be given a chance? This is God's prerogative, brethren, but I think they'd be so steeped in sin that they're unredeemable!

Matthew 12:34—Christ addresses these people and He says: "[You] Offspring of vipers…"

• Will they repent?
• Is it too late?
• One wonders?

It appears that we stand and give account and there is power in the tongue.

Verse 36: "But I say to you, for every idle word that men may speak, they shall be held accountable in the Day of Judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned" (vs 36-37).

So brethren, we have to put off all things like it says in:

Colossians 3:8: "But now you should also put off all these things: wrath, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and foul language from your mouth."

I know profanity and vulgarity can sometimes come out. That shouldn't be, and we've got to repent when it does happen.

So what of the heathen? Well, they lay in the dust of the ground along with the billions, twenty to fifty billion others, who knows how many, and the Bible likens it to sleep!

• Do we see a promise of regeneration in Matthew 12?
• How about Nineveh?
• How about the Queen of Sheba and the Queen of the South?

Matthew 12: 41: "The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here."

He's saying, look back there. Jonah said a few words, Nineveh repented. They're the unwashed masses. You've been given everything and they will stand in judgment over you.

We've got a high responsibility of the knowledge we have! Coming up into it in this great Millennium, they'll be coming up for the second resurrection! They'll be coming up into the world at the tail-end of a thousand years. The world will already be prepped and ready.

Beautiful! A thousand years to get it ready. What a wonderful thing to look forward to. WOW! Doesn't get any better than that! But, yes, it does, because the next step is Heavenly Jerusalem that comes down from heaven—1500 miles cubed!

But more on that. That's another story in God's Master Plan for mankind, and that we'll hear in the fall Holy Days, especially day eight!

Scriptural References:

• Acts 4:1-3, 7-10, 4, 12
• John 3:16
• 2-Peter 3:9
• John 12:35-36, 38-44
• Matthew 12:30-32
• Romans 2:11-13
• Hebrews 12:22-23
• John 5:24-25, 27-29
• Revelation 20:11-15
• Hebrews 10:24-27
• Ezekiel 37:1-8, 11, 13-14, 24
• Matthew 12:34, 36-37
• Colossians 3:8
• Matthew 12:41

Scripture referenced, not quoted: Hebrews 6:46

BB:bo/po
Transcribed: 7/17/25

Copyright 2025—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.