Today I return to my on-going series contrasting the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Koran on a variety of topics. This article is part of that on-going series.
See previous articles include the following : "Was Abraham a Jew or a Christian?", "Idolatry 101, 102, 103, Oneness and Unbelievers and God's Character.
The Resurrection
Both Scripture and the Koran speak of a resurrection. The following are direct quotes from the Koran. "As for the dead, God will bring them back to life. Then to Him shall they return (1)." "Lost indeed are those who deny they will ever meet God. When the Hour of Doom overtakes them unawares, they will exclaim: Alas we have neglected much in our life time (2)." "There is none in the heavens or on earth but shall return to the Merciful in utter submission. He has kept strict count of all His creatures and one by one they shall approach Him on the day of resurrection (3)."
Scripture speaks of several resurrections. There is what Scripture calls the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who take part in the first resurrection. On those persons the second death has no power, but they shall reign with Him a thousand years. When the thousands years have expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. The rest of the dead will come to life after the one thousand years are finished.
Nonetheless God can raise to life anyone He chooses when He chooses. Jesus had friends in the town of Bethany. Some distance away Jesus was with His disciples when He received word of Lazarus’ sickness from Mary and Martha. Jesus stayed at this location two more days and tells the disciples, “Lets go wake up Lazarus.” The disciples respond, “If he is asleep he will be okay (4) Finally Jesus says, “Lazarus is dead.” Thomas said, “Lets go that we may die with Jesus.”
Jesus goes to Bethany and finds that Lazarus had been in the grave four days. Martha comes to Jesus and tells Him that if He had been there her brother Lazarus would not have died. But even at that point she said that she knew that whatever Jesus would ask of God, He would do. Jesus replies, "Your brother shall rise again." Martha then said, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus responded, “I am the resurrection and the life, he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Martha said, “Yes. I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world (5).”
Jesus was taken to the place where Lazarus was buried and there He wept. Jesus told Martha to roll the stone away and Martha said, “He has already been dead four days. By now he stinks. Jesus said, “Didn’t I say to you you would see the power of God?” So Martha had the stone rolled away from the entrance of the tomb. Then Jesus cried out, Lazarus come forth and Lazarus came out bound hand and foot. Jesus said, “Release him.”
We see from the above accounts that the Koran speaks of an EVENT only, the resurrection, which will take place at some point in time.
On the other hand, Scripture speaks of two resurrections, one involves EVENTS and the other involves a PERSON. If you believe in Jesus, that He is the Son of God and He lives in you then the PERSON of the resurrection resides within you awaiting the EVENT, a future literal physical resurrection. Jesus proved Himself the to be the resurrection by calling Lazarus back from the dead.
If you believe Jesus is the Son of God and that He died in your place for your sins you can REPENT of (turn away from) your sins and INVITE Him into your life right in this moment in time. All you have to do is sincerely pray words to this affect, “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my evil (my sins, all my wrongdoings) and come into and take Your residence in my life.”
References:
(1) Koran p. 96, paragraph 6;36
(2) Koran p. 95, paragraph 6”31
(3) Koran p. 219, paragraph 19:89
(4) The Bible, Revelation 20”5-7
(5) The Bible, John 11:1-27
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