Bible passage: Isaiah 26:19
Prophet: Isaiah
Written: Between 701-681 BC
In Isaiah 26, the prophet writes a poetic song of praise, speaking of the cycle of punishment and restoration, good and evil, and ultimately faith and righteousness.
Towards the end of this song, Isaiah foreshadows a future bodily resurrection:
But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise- let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy- your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19, NIV)
This is similar to what Daniel the prophet wrote about resurrection in Daniel 12:1-3, about 2,500 years ago, about 200 years after the time of Isaiah.
It also shares common elements with what King David wrote of resurrection in Psalm 16:8-11 and of what Job wrote about resurrection in Job 19:25.
Christians believe that Jesus will return in the future to judge the living and the dead and that the dead will be resurrected, meaning their bodies will be physically restored to life and rejoined with their souls. This is explained in various passages of the New Testament, including in John 5:19-30.
In addition to Job 19:25, there are other Old Testament prophecies that allude to a future bodily resurrection, including one in Daniel 12:1-3, and another in Job 19:25, and another in Psalm 16:10.