III. THE TIME OF THE RESURRECTION.

1. THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

John 6:39, 40, 44--"The last day." This does not mean a day of
twenty-four hours, but a period of time. It will be safe, usually,
to limit the word "day" to a period of twenty-four hours only where
numeral, ordinal, or cardinal occurs in connection therewith, like
"fourth day," etc. When the "day of grace," "day of judgment,"
"this thy day," etc., are mentioned, they refer to periods of time
either long or short, as the case may be.

1 Cor. 15:23--"But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming." 1
Thess. 4:14-17. In both these passages the resurrection of the
believer is connected with the coming of Christ. This event ushers
in the last day; it is treated as a separate and distinct thing.

2. THE RESURRECTION OF THE WICKED.

As there is a difference in the issue (John 5:28, 29; Dan. 12:2,
cf. literal Hebrew rendering below) so there is as to time between
the resurrection of the righteous and that of the wicked. Phil.
3:11--"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of
(lit. out of) the dead." It was no incentive to Paul simply to be
assured that he would be raised from the dead; for he knew that
all men would be thus raised. What Paul was striving for was to be
counted worthy of that first resurrection--of the righteous from
among the wicked. The resurrection "out from among" the dead is the
resurrection unto life and glory; the resurrection "of" the dead