In the Bible, saints are all believers in Christ—from Old Testament Israel to the Church Age and the Tribulation.
Les Feldick teaches that the term 'saints' is a general designation for believers, not a title for a select group. He shows that believing Israelites, church-age believers, and tribulation saints are all included in the resurrection of believers, each in their own God-ordained company.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 — Paul states that all will be made alive in Christ, but each in his own order—Christ the firstfruits, then those who are Christ's at His coming.
Matthew 27:52-53 — This passage records many bodies of saints arising after Christ's resurrection, showing that Jewish believers were among the firstfruits.
In Scripture, saints are those who have believed God and are set apart for Him. In 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, Paul describes an order to resurrection: 'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.' Christ is the first to be resurrected in the fullest sense, and believers of all ages will be raised in their proper groups. Matthew 27:52-53 records that after Christ's resurrection, 'the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.' These saints are believers who had died before Christ's resurrection. Daniel 12:2 speaks of a resurrection that will include Old Testament believers: 'And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.' Revelation 20, as understood by Les, groups the resurrection of believers into several companies, while the lost are not raised until after the kingdom ends.
Les Feldick teaches that saints are simply believers in every dispensation. He emphasizes that God views the gathering of believers as a harvest, and resurrection follows the grain-harvest order: Christ as the firstfruit, then the firstfruits company of Jewish believers who arose in Matthew 27, then the great harvest of the Church Age, and finally the Old Testament and Tribulation saints. The term 'saints' is not limited to one group. Les shows that the Jewish believers who came out of the graves in Matthew 27 were saints, and they formed many stems of grain in the firstfruits sheaf presented with Christ. Church-age believers are also saints, as are those saved during the Tribulation. He stresses that all believers from Adam to the end will be in the first resurrection, but in their specific companies.
Les teaches that these were Jewish believers who had died and were buried in the Jerusalem area. Since there were very few Gentiles in that Old Testament setting, they were overwhelmingly Jewish believers. They did not come out of their graves while Christ was on the cross; they came out after He had been resurrected, because Christ had to be the first to be resurrected. In order for the sheaf-of-firstfruits analogy to be complete, there had to be other examples of resurrection. So these saints were resurrected from the cemeteries around Jerusalem, came into the city, appeared to friends and relatives, and likely ascended to heaven with Christ.
Yes. Les teaches that the Church Age is the main harvest in God's resurrection plan. In his three-part division of the first resurrection, the firstfruits were those who came out at Christ's resurrection, then comes the great group of believers of the Church Age at the rapture, and then Old Testament and Tribulation saints who rise later. Church-age believers are referred to as the body of Christ and are part of the bride.
Les includes Old Testament believers in Daniel's company and tribulation saints in what he calls the gleanings and corners of the harvest. He says the tribulation saints are not in the body of Christ, but they will be resurrected in their own group. Daniel 12 indicates Old Testament saints will rise after the kingdom has begun, and Les suggests that will be about 75 days after Christ returns. These are all believers from Adam to the end, and they are all part of the first resurrection.
Les emphasizes that Christ had to be the first to be resurrected from the dead in the fullest sense. People like those raised by Elijah, Elisha, and even Lazarus were restored to life but died again. Beginning with Christ's resurrection, the term resurrection is used in its fullest meaning. Because a bundle of firstfruits could not consist of only one stem, Matthew 27 saints were raised to accompany Christ as the firstfruits of them that slept.
Resurrection Order and Harvest
Les compares resurrection to an orderly harvest and notes that even Christ's earthly ministry speaks of fields white unto harvest.
Jewish Saints Raised After Christ
Les explains that the Matthew 27 saints were Jewish believers who came out of the graves only after Christ's resurrection, making them part of the firstfruits sheaf.
Old Testament and Tribulation Saints Resurrected
Les teaches that Old Testament saints and tribulation saints have their own resurrection times, with tribulation saints included in the gleanings and corners of the harvest.
All Ages of Believers in the First Resurrection
Les reviews the three parts of the first resurrection: Christ's resurrection firstfruits, the church-age body of Christ, and Old Testament/Tribulation believers raised after the kingdom begins.
Resurrection Companies
Les shows that every resurrected person is divided into companies: the lost, Daniel's company of Old Testament saints, the body of Christ, and tribulation saints, with no general resurrection for believers.
Three Categories of First Resurrection
Les summarizes the first resurrection as firstfruits from Christ's day, the main harvest of church-age believers, and the later Old Testament saints who are wedding guests.
Church Age as Next Resurrection
Les shows that after Christ and the firstfruits, the next great group to experience resurrection is the body of Christ, the church-age believers.
Christ First, Then a Bundle of Firstfruits
Les contrasts Christ's resurrection with mere restorations to life and shows that Matthew 27 saints formed the sheaf of firstfruits with Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Sets the principle that resurrection has order, with Christ as firstfruits.
Matthew 27:52-53: And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Records believing saints arising after Christ, demonstrating the firstfruits company.
Daniel 12:2: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Les teaches this includes Old Testament saints and tribulation saints in the resurrection.
Les teaches that saints are believers in every age. They include Jewish believers of the Old Testament, church-age believers, and tribulation saints. They are not a special class but the general designation for all who have believed God.
Yes, according to Les. In that setting there were not enough Gentiles to be counted in the same way, so these were Jewish believers buried around Jerusalem. They came out of the graves only after Christ had been resurrected, becoming part of the firstfruits.
No, says Les. Tribulation saints are saved during the seven years after the church is gone, but they are not in the body of Christ. They are included in the gleanings and corners of the harvest and have their own resurrection company.
Watch the Teaching: The Three Stages of Resurrection — 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 Explained