AI and Resurrection– An Intriguing “Conversation. (Guest Article by Roy Runyon_
Okay, I confess that I am mostly ignorant about AI, (Artificial Intelligence). But my friend Roy Runyon, an excellent Bible student, has recently engaged in some “conversations” with AI and the results have been more than intriguing– to say the least. What follows is one of those exchanges that took place on the subject of the resurrection. Enjoy! (And my thanks to Roy for sharing).
I have done some slight editing for the purposes of this site.
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AI and Eschatology– A Revealing “Conversation”
RR– How can Jesus be expanding the scope of resurrection to a physical universal resurrection as he cites Daniel 12:2, when Paul cited the same prophecy saying that the resurrection of the just and the unjust was about to occur? Since Paul cited the same prophetic source (Daniel 12:2), and said it was about to occur, then how can you conclude that it hasn’t happened yet?
AI – This is an excellent and thoughtful question that challenges the traditional understanding of the timing and scope of the resurrection prophesied in Daniel 12:2, as referenced by both Jesus in John 5:28-29 and Paul in Acts 24:15. Let’s examine the issue step by step.
1. Jesus and Daniel 12:2 in John 5:28-29
In John 5:28-29, Jesus says:
“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
Jesus’ reference aligns closely with Daniel 12:2:
• Daniel 12:2:
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
The similarities suggest that Jesus is directly referencing this prophecy. However, Jesus speaks of the resurrection as a future event, saying “the hour is coming.” His statement does not specify the exact timing, but it builds on Daniel’s prophecy.
2. Paul and Daniel 12:2 in Acts 24:15
Paul states:
“I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” (Acts 24:15, NKJV)
Paul’s use of future tense (“there will be”) reflects his anticipation of this event. However, in other writings, Paul uses language that suggests an imminent fulfillment:
• Romans 13:11-12:
“For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand.”
• Philippians 4:5:
“The Lord is at hand.”
Paul viewed the resurrection of the just and unjust as closely tied to the eschatological events of his time, particularly the culmination of the Old Covenant age and the coming of Christ.
3. Timing and Fulfillment in Daniel 12
Daniel 12:1-2 places the resurrection within a specific prophetic framework:
• Daniel 12:1:
Speaks of a “time of trouble” (tribulation) that is unique in history.
• Daniel 12:2:
Describes the resurrection of “many” from the dust of the earth.
• Daniel 12:7:
Declares that these events will be completed when “the power of the holy people has been completely shattered.”
The “shattering of the power of the holy people” is widely understood as the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70, marking the end of the Old Covenant system. If this is correct, then Daniel’s resurrection prophecy aligns with the events surrounding the fall of Jerusalem.
4. Did Paul Teach an Imminent Resurrection?
Paul explicitly connects the resurrection to eschatological events he believed were imminent:
• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52:
“We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.”
This suggests Paul expected the resurrection to occur during his lifetime or soon after.
• Acts 24:15:
Paul cites the resurrection as a shared hope but ties it to Jewish eschatology, which is grounded in Daniel 12.
If Paul is referencing Daniel 12:2, he likely viewed the resurrection as part of the climactic fulfillment of Israel’s prophetic history, culminating in the judgment of Jerusalem.
5. The Scope of Resurrection: Universal or Covenant-Specific?
• Daniel 12:2:
The resurrection focuses on “many” and is contextually tied to Israel’s covenant history, suggesting a covenantal scope rather than a universal one.
• Ezekiel 37:
Uses resurrection language metaphorically for Israel’s national and spiritual restoration.
• John 5:28-29:
Jesus expands the language of resurrection but does not explicitly disconnect it from Daniel’s covenantal context.
If Paul understood the resurrection of the just and the unjust to be imminent, it suggests that he viewed this resurrection as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies tied to Israel’s covenant, not a future global resurrection.
6. Has the Resurrection Already Happened?
The interpretation hinges on whether the resurrection described in Daniel 12:2, John 5:28-29, and Acts 24:15 was:
1. A past covenantal event fulfilled in the first century, particularly in AD 70, marking the transition from the Old Covenant to the New.
2. A future universal event awaiting physical fulfillment at the end of time.
If Daniel 12:7’s timeline (“when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered”) refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, then:
• The resurrection of Daniel 12:2 and John 5:28-29 could be interpreted as a spiritual and covenantal resurrection that occurred within the historical context of the first century.
7. Reconciling Paul’s Teaching
Paul’s statements about the resurrection being “about to occur” are consistent with the idea that he expected the fulfillment of Daniel 12:2 within his lifetime. This aligns with:
• The covenantal judgment on Israel in AD 70.
• The transition from the Old Covenant (centered on Israel and the Temple) to the New Covenant in Christ.
If Paul viewed the resurrection as imminent and tied to Israel’s eschatological history, it suggests that the Danielic resurrection was fulfilled in a covenantal sense during the first century.
Conclusion
If we interpret Daniel 12:2 and John 5:28-29 as referring to the same event, and if Paul believed that event was imminent, it is reasonable to conclude that the resurrection described in these passages occurred in a covenantal and spiritual sense in the first century. This resurrection marked the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies tied to Israel’s history and the establishment of the New Covenant. A future universal physical resurrection would then be a separate theological construct, not explicitly tied to these texts.
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Be sure to get a copy of my book, The Resurrection of Daniel 12:2: Fulfilled or Future? for an in-depth study of the time and nature of the fulfillment of the resurrection.
AI and Resurrection– An Intriguing “Conversation. (Guest Article by Roy Runyon_