When will the resurrection occur?

from the old testament

• The Old Testament discusses the resurrection of the just and unjust: "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" (Daniel 12:2).

from the new testament

• Jesus also referred to the two types of resurrection when He said: "Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29).
• Paul also speaks about both types of resurrection when he said: "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust" (Acts 24:14-15).
• The resurrection of the just will occur first, followed by the resurrection of the unjust (1 Corinthians 15:23; Revelation 20:5, 12-13).
• The resurrection of the just will occur in three stages, mirroring how harvests were conducted in Old Testament times: a harvest of the first fruits, followed by the general harvest, and then a last harvest of what was called the "gleanings." The harvest of first fruits served as a "proving" harvest. If the first fruits were good, this indicated that all the harvest would be good. But if the first fruits were poor, it indicated that the entire crop would be bad. Jesus' resurrection was the first fruits resurrection. Because His resurrection was good, all believers who follow after Him are guaranteed to have a glorified, sinless body and life just like His. Of this fact, Paul says: "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20). Regarding the order of resurrection, Paul also says: "But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:23).
• The second resurrection – the general harvest or resurrection – occurs, as Paul said, when Christ comes for His Church at the time of what is called the rapture (the catching away): "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Paul also refers to this resurrection a second time in 1 Corinthians 15:50-53.
• The last resurrection of the just (the "gleanings") happens at the start of Christ's one thousand year reign on the Earth and is spoken about in the book of Revelation: "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4-6).
• The resurrection of the unjust will occur at the end of Christ's thousand-year reign, involving only unbelievers. Revelation 20:11-15 describes the great white throne judgment where the dead are judged according to their deeds, and those not found in the Book of Life are thrown into the lake of fire.

implications for today

The resurrection matters because it emphasizes the eternal consequences of our choices today. The Bible clearly presents two resurrections: one for the righteous and one for the unrighteous. All who reject Christ’s salvation will face the resurrection of the unjust to judgment while believers will be resurrected to eternal life. How we live now has lasting significance. For example, believers can take comfort in knowing that, because of Christ’s resurrection, our future resurrection guarantees a life free from sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:20). This changes what we live for. Instead of living for temporal pleasures, we desire to live in a way that honors God and reflects the abundant life we have in Him. At the same time, the reality of the second resurrection for the unjust should motivate us to share the gospel with urgency, so others can decide to follow Christ. Understanding the timing of these events helps us live with a long-term perspective, making choices that honor God in the present while keeping our eternal future in mind.