What analogy does the Bible use to explain the resurrections?
The Bible uses the analogy of a grain harvest to explain the resurrections. It compares the resurrection of people to Israel’s harvest with three sequences: the firstfruits, the major harvest, and the corners and gleanings, showing an ordered resurrection rather than all appearing at once.
Les teaches that Paul uses the picture of a military organization—company, battalion, regiment, division, army—to show there is an order in the resurrection, so that every group will be in their specific company at resurrection, not all coming out as one great big group. He then explains that the resurrections can be viewed much like Israel practiced her grain harvest. God calls the bringing of human people unto Himself a harvest, and Jesus said the fields are white unto harvest. The harvest has three sequences: first the firstfruits, the sampling of the early ripening grain; then the major harvest; and then the third part, the corners and the gleanings.