The Old Testament's Foundational Teachings Concerning Resurrection on the Third Day (Part II)
We continue to examine how the Torah, Prophets and the Writings present a plethora of foundational information concerning death, burial and resurrection on the third day
A Quick Review and Encouragement from Yeshua to Understand the Tanakh’s Teachings on Resurrection of the Dead
It is my assertion that the Tanakh (Old Testament) has tons to say about resurrection on the third day. So let’s continue our search for teachings concerning resurrection on day 3. Before looking at examples of literal death and resurrection let’s remember what I believe is the first shadowy image of resurrection on day 3 - the emergence of vegetation upon the newly formed earth in Genesis 1. As stated in Part I, this is not a literal picture of LIFE from the DEAD, but it is easy to see the picture Adonai is painting for us - LIFE springing forth from where there was no LIFE on day 3. For, as we noted before, until day 3 nothing animate had been created. Thus, Genesis 1:9-13,
9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
provides a beautiful picture of resurrection using vegetation in its various stages of growth from seed to fruit. One of our main points in Part I was that Adonai uses vegetation to teach us about resurrection.
It just so happens that the notion of resurrection is the unspoken proof positive of Aaron’s choice as High Priest! For we read in Numbers 17:8,
And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
Note the simplicity, yet profundity of what is being said here. Adonai showed the children of Israel His choice for High Priest by giving them a sign. And what was the sign? The sign of resurrection LIFE which only Adonai can perform. Aaron’s rod, nothing but a dead piece of wood budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds, truly the sign of resurrection LIFE! And, just as in Genesis 1:9-13, Adonai used vegetation to teach us about resurrection, for truly the dead rod was resurrected into a living plant.
In Part I, we quoted from two prominent theologians who, for some reason fail to see the Tanakh’s teachings on death and resurrection on the third day! Well, I’d like to assure you that Adonai’s prophets and sages of antiquity saw the pictures of resurrection in the Tanakh and I would suggest we listen to them instead of modern “theologians” who miss this concept. I’d like to introduce you to the 120 Men of the Great Assembly. Chabad.org has done has done an excellent job capturing the essence of who these men were:
Approximately 50 years before prophecy terminated in 3448, a body of 120 of the greatest Torah scholars assumed the spiritual leadership of the Jewish people. This august assembly, led by Ezra, functioned as the Sanhedrin of the nation. Although scholars disagree as to whether all 120 sages served on the Court simultaneously, or the Sanhedrin was composed of its normal quorum of 71 members, while the others were alternates, nevertheless all agree that the Anshei Knesses Hagdolah was the greatest scholarly assembly in the history of the Jewish people. Membership was composed of prophets and non-prophets: among its more prominent members were Mordecai, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi, and Shimon HaTzadik. These eminent rabbis realized that Jewish society was changing irrevocably. The era of prophecy, in which the Jewish people received direct Divine communication, was about to come to a close. In addition, the majority of Jews would live in a state of exile outside the land of Israel. As such, the awesome responsibility of leading the Jewish people during this difficult transitional period, facing the challenges of an uncertain future, weighed heavily on their shoulders. Therefore, the Great Assembly effected far-reaching enactments that guide the Jewish people to this day, enabling the nation to survive spiritually during the long, dark, exile. “Anshei Knesses Hagdolah (The Men of the Great Assembly).” Chabad.org, https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2836143/jewish/Anshei-Knesses-Hagdolah-The-Men-of-the-Great-Assembly.htm. Accessed 13 July 2022.
One of the great accomplishments of this great assembly was the composition of the text of standard prayers and blessings, known as the Shemoneh Esrei (or Amidah). The Shemoneh Esrei is a series of 18 prayers prayed three times a day by devout Jews. Note the time frame of the beginning of its composition, the 4th century BCE! The first three prayers of the Shemoneh Esrei are attributed to the three patriarchs of the Jewish faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as if they had actually written them (although they did not!).
I’d like to focus our attention on the second prayer attributed to Isaac. Here is the prayer:
You are eternally mighty my Lord, the resuscitator of the dead are you. Abundantly able to save. Who makes the wind to blow and Who makes the rain descend. Who sustains the living with kindness, resuscitates the dead with abundant mercy, supports the fallen, heals the sick, releases the confined and maintains His faith to those asleep in the dust. Who is like You O Master of mighty deeds and who is comparable to You O King Who causes death and restores life and makes salvation sprout. And You are faithful to resuscitate the dead. Blessed are You Who resuscitates the dead.
What I want you to focus on is the extreme emphasis on the theme of resurrection, the obvious dominant theme in this prayer. Please note the following:
The prayer mentions resuscitating the dead four times
What does restores life mean? In context, it clearly means to resuscitate the dead.
What does maintains His faith to those asleep in the dust mean? That Adonai will be faithful to resurrect them.
What does makes salvation sprout mean? It is a clear reference to resurrection in human beings as taught by the blossoming of life from dead vegetation as in Isaiah 26:19 which we studied in Part I.
From our previous discussions in Part I, it is apparent that the 120 Men of the Great Assembly saw the connection between the cycle of vegetative growth and decline with LIFE/RESURRECTION and DEATH, respectively! Thus, “makes salvation sprout” is a clear reference to RESURRECTION! Yes, sprouting vegetation = RESURRECTION.
Remember, the 120 men of the Great Assembly included some of the prophets who actually wrote Scripture. My guess is that they probably knew a little about how to properly interpret it? My point is this. These men, included Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi, and somehow, they were convinced that resurrection was a significant part of their faith! Clearly, they have understood the Torah’s “language” of resurrection! Where did they get this idea? Did they make it up? I suggest to you they got the idea of resurrection from that which formed the basis of their outstanding, unwavering faith - the Scripture as they knew it, the Tanakh.
As you can see, the second prayer of the Shemoneh Esrei is bursting forth with theological implications concerning the worldview of the prophets with regard to the notion of resurrection from the dead. Unlike Gordon Fee and N.T. Wright, the prophets of Scripture seem to be overwhelmed with the idea of resurrection which they’ve gleaned from the pages of the Tanakh.
It seems that N.T. Wright and Gordon Fee, as well as many other “theologians” have views somewhat similar to the Sadducees of Yeshua’s day. Yeshua encountered this type of resistance to bodily resurrection also, as recorded in Matthew 22:23-33:
23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27 Last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
Notice Yeshua’s response to those who do not believe the Tanakh teaches a bodily resurrection. He said they suffer from 1) not knowing the Scriptures and 2) not knowing the power of God! In other words, if someone reads the Tanakh and does not clearly see its teachings on the resurrection from the dead, then they either do not know the Scriptures or they do not know the power of our great God. Neither choice is very flattering. Yeshua, like the prophets and sages of the 120 men of the Great Assembly expect people to know, understand, believe and act according to the knowledge that the Tanakh teaches there will be a bodily resurrection of the dead.
In the next article we’ll begin to look at very concrete examples of the Tanakh’s teachings on resurrection from the dead on the third day. Some of the examples we look at will help us form a good foundation for understanding the Tanakh’s foundational teachings on resurrection, while others also will take us into stories Yeshua possibly used to help the two disciples on the road to Emmaus understand the prophesies of His death, burial and resurrection.
Shalom,
Tony Robinson
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