By Bill Brady

• Jesus preached to the dead.
• Jesus raised the dead.
• Jesus judges the dead.
• We preach to the dead.
• We raise the dead.
• We judge the dead.

We are in a season of raising the dead. 

In Hebrews 6:1-2 seven foundational aspects of Jesus’ Kingship are listed:

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.”

7 elementary principles of Christ = Kingship. 

• The 1st is repentance from dead works.
• The 2nd is faith towards God.
• The 3rd is the doctrine of baptisms.
• The 4th is laying on of hands (for impartation).
• The 5th is resurrection of the dead.
• The 6th is eternal judgment.
• The 7th is perfection.

Once we have moved into the first 4, we then begin to resurrect the dead.

• We exercise repentance and faith.
• We baptize and are baptized.
• We impart to others.

So it is for the resurrection of the dead.

• We do the resurrecting.
• We are not just waiting to be resurrected.
• We resurrect others from the dead.

 1 Peter 3:18-20 is a very interesting verse about preaching to the dead!

• We are told that Jesus preached to the dead.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”

Only 8 souls were saved out of the Flood.

• Noah and his wife.
• Noah’s 3 sons and their 3 wives.

Every one else living at the time died in the flood.

• Noah preached during the long time that he was building the ark.
• They heard but did not believe.
• This is disobedience.
• They all died during the flood.

Jesus went to where they were imprisoned after their deaths and preached to them.

• The spirits of all who died in the flood were in a prison after death
• Jesus was sent by the Holy Spirit to preach to them.
• Jesus preached to them by the Holy Spirit.

They are referred to as spirits, because their bodies were dead.

• Jesus was put to death in the flesh.
• But the Holy Spirit resurrected Jesus.

Jesus preached to these spirits.

• The purpose of preaching is salvation.
• These verses do not specifically say that Jesus resurrected them from the dead.
• They do support the practice of going by the Spirit to preach to the dead.
• If Jesus did it then we are to do it.

John 5:24 – 30 is another resurrection passage: 

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.  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.  I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

• Those who have everlasting life will not be judged to death.
• Jesus will speak a word to raise the dead when the hour comes to do so.
• We know that we work with Jesus doing everything that He does.

Now is that hour.

• We speak the word of resurrection with Him.
• “_______________ come forth!”

Judgment to death or life follows this resurrection.

• We will do that judging with Jesus.

In encounters some are seeing. 

• We can call the dead up from where they are up through the realms.
• Up to higher heavenly realms.
• Or go into Satan’s trophy room.
• Or mandate angels to bring them up if that is their choice.

This is a resurrection of the dead.

• Moving from death to life.