The faithful of the Old Testament had the hope of a future life through God’s power of resurrection. Abraham knew that God could raise the dead, and like him, the faithful trusted that God would fulfill all His promises to them. One promise they all hoped for but did not receive, God has still not fulfilled. Hebrews 11:17-20 EasyEnglish Bible 17 Here is another example of Abraham’s faith. God wanted to see whether Abraham really trusted him. Because Abraham believed God, he offered his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. God had promised Abraham that he would have many grandchildren. But Abraham was still ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. 18 God had said to Abraham, ‘It is through Isaac that your family will continue.’ 19 But Abraham was sure that, if Isaac died, God could raise Isaac to life again. We could even say that is a picture of what really happened. It was like Abraham did receive Isaac back from death. 20 Isaac himself also believed God. As a result of his faith, he asked God to bless his sons, Jacob and Esau. He trusted that God would help them in the future time.

Job trusted that God would restore him to life, and that he would see his God standing on the earth with his own eyes. He may not have fully understood how or when his resurrection would occur, but he longed for that day to arrive. Solomon and Jeremiah had the same hope as Job. They knew that God had planned a great future for those who placed their faith, hope, and trust in him. Job 19:25-27 Contemporary English Version 25 I know that my Protector lives, and at the end he will stand on this earth. 26 My flesh may be destroyed, yet from this body I will see God. 27  Yes, I will see him for myself, and I long for that moment. Proverbs 23:18 Lexham English Bible. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Jeremiah 29:11 Modern English Version. For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

God’s missing promise of resurrection to those Old Testament faithful is the same promise the followers of Jesus are still waiting for today. The promise of eternal life is for those who have faith in Jesus now, and those who had faith in God and, by extension, Jesus, before the Word became flesh and lived with mankind. All believers share the same promise of gaining eternal life. Having received their new immortal bodies all at once, believers will then be able to laugh at death and the grave without fear. 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 Easy-to-Read Version. 51 But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed. 52 It will only take the time of a second. We will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows. The trumpet will blow and those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we will all be changed. 53 This body that ruins must clothe itself with something that will never ruin. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that will never die. 54 So this body that ruins will clothe itself with that which never ruins. And this body that dies will clothe itself with that which never dies. When this happens, the Scriptures will be made true: “Death is swallowed in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? Where is your power to hurt?”

God will give all of his faithful followers eternal life at the same time, during the same event. The gift of eternal life will come with the return of Jesus, as he delivers the future Kingdom of God to the earth and rules over it as King of Kings. Hebrews 11:39-40 International Children’s Bible 39 All these people are known for their faith. But none of them received what God had promised. 40 God planned to give us something better. Then they would be made perfect, but only together with us.

God plans to bless those who have the faith to follow and accept the salvation of Jesus with eternal life. People have always longed for eternal life, yet had no way of obtaining it by themselves. Ecclesiastes 3:11 New American Standard Bible He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

Many Old Testament scriptures describe the dead sleeping unconsciously in the dust and dirt of the earth. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 Amplified Bible. 5 For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they no longer have a reward [here], for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Indeed their love, their hatred and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share [in this age] in anything that is done under the sun. Daniel 12:2 English Standard Version. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. While these verses relate to mankind’s current mortal death, other scriptures provide hope for a future mortal life. Job had confidence that someday in the future, he would see God through his own eyes of flesh. The faithful of the Old Testament knew they were mortal and that a future, mortal life and an eternal, immortal life were only available to mankind through God’s power. The Israelites had God’s promise that they would be resurrected to a physical mortal life in the future. Immortality is not gained at birth; immortal eternal life is God’s gift. It is granted to those who have faith in and choose to follow Jesus. Mankind must patiently wait for its newly resurrected mortal and immortal lives to be granted by God.  1John 3:2 GOD’S WORD Translation. Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is.

Jesus was born about 400 years after God’s last message was written to the Jews. The Jews spent those years waiting and looking for their deliverer to come. When Jesus arrived, the Jews did not recognize him or his message. They were expecting God to fulfill his many promises to them through a Messiah who would bring about a worldly Kingdom of peace and prosperity and restore the physical Israelite nation to prominence. The Old Testament scriptures do not say how and when mankind will regain mortal life, or the immortal, eternal life promised to some. Combining the Old Testament promises of God with the salvation described in the New Testament will provide these resurrection answers to those with faith, hope, and trust in the words of Jesus and His Father.