The First Resurrection and the Start of the Millennium

[guysmith]

The First Resurrection and the Start of the Millennium

Revelation 20:4-6
King James Version (KJV)
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.



Revelation 20:4-6 clarifies that the Millennial Rule of Christ coincides with the First Resurrection. Revelation 20: 4-6 also clarifies that the First Resurrection takes place after the Great Tribulation period because some of those who participate in the First Resurrection “had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands;”

 

[veteran]

That's right.

So what and who are of the implied later second resurrection?

The second resurrection is not about the wicked, for they will be resurrected at the time of Christ's second coming also, per John 5:28-29 and Isaiah 25, and 1 Cor.15.

 

[guysmith]

Veteran,

You stated: That's right. So what.....

My response: For discussions sake, I just wanted to clarify that the first resurrection was an event which marked the start of the Millennium. The Bible uses catchphrases which tie certain events together. For example: the first resurrection is a descrition of the resurrection at Christ's advent, but it is also a phrase which (as per Rev 20) clarifies that the resurrection of the just and the Millennial rule of Christ occur at the same time.

You stated: .....and who are of the implied later second resurrection? The second resurrection is not about the wicked,

My response: So IYO, who are in the second resurrection?

You stated: .....for they will be resurrected at the time of Christ's second coming also, per John 5:28-29 and Isaiah 25, and 1 Cor.15.

My response: According to John (Rev 20:6), those in the first resurrection will not partake in the second death and will be priest with Christ during the Millennium . Obviously you have a different twist on this.....

Say you are correct. For discussion sake, what is your point?

 

[veteran]

Veteran,

You stated: That's right. So what.....

My response: For discussions sake, I just wanted to clarify that the first resurrection was an event which marked the start of the Millennium. The Bible uses catchphrases which tie certain events together. For example: the first resurrection is a descrition of the resurrection at Christ's advent, but it is also a phrase which (as per Rev 20) clarifies that the resurrection of the just and the Millennial rule of Christ occur at the same time.

Yes, that's right. The "first resurrection" of Rev.20 coincides with the start of Christ's Milennium reign, and it occurs on the day of His return to this earth, on "the day of the Lord" as written.

You stated: .....and who are of the implied later second resurrection? The second resurrection is not about the wicked,

My response: So IYO, who are in the second resurrection?

You stated: .....for they will be resurrected at the time of Christ's second coming also, per John 5:28-29 and Isaiah 25, and 1 Cor.15.

My response: According to John (Rev 20:6), those in the first resurrection will not partake in the second death and will be priest with Christ during the Millennium . Obviously you have a different twist on this.....

Say you are correct. For discussion sake, what is your point?

It's not a twist, it's just how our Lord Jesus imparted a bit of deeper information regarding those things, requiring us to be a workman in His Word first to grasp it.

In John 5:28-29, (yes, I brought that Scripture up again, let's not just skip over it), our Lord Jesus stated that the hour is coming that at the sound of His "voice", all in the graves shall come forth, and be of either the "resurrection of life" or the "resurrection of damnation". Did He say the 'thousand years' is coming when all in the graves will hear His voice and come forth? No, He said the "hour". It's related to the "shout" in the following event...

1Thes 4:16
16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(KJV)

That's the timing of the John 5:28-29 Scripture.

Are there other Bible witnesses that the wicked dead will be resurrected also on the day of Christ's coming? Yes.

1 Cor 15:48-54
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Have the wicked also borne the "image of the earthy"? Yes. The wicked shall also bear the "image of the heavenly". Afterall, is the "resurrection of damnation" not a raising from the dead?


1 Cor.15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
(KJV)

Paul was pulling from Isaiah 25 about that event, giving us more detail. Many brethren think the resurrection at Christ's coming is just for His saints only. They automatically assign His Eternal Salvation with it while forgetting there's a "resurrection of damnation" for the unjust. In Acts 24:15 Apostle Paul said it was his "hope" there will be both a resurrection of the just, and of the unjust. His hope was not just so the wicked dead would be raised at God's great white throne judgment in order to perish in the lake of fire. Paul's hope was that at least some of them might be saved. And WHEN would they be able to be saved, after Christ's "thousand years" reign? No, DURING Christ's thousand years reign with His elect.

Note what Paul says about death being swallowed up in victory, and then notice who all the Isaiah 25 Scripture is about where Paul was preaching that idea from...

Isa 25:6-9
6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
(KJV)

According to Peter, as he was also pulling from the OT prophets, the "day of the Lord" will come "as a thief in the night" and burn the elements of man's works off the earth. That occurs at Christ's second coming, and that's when all alive on earth will be changed to that "image of the heavenly" which Paul spoke of.

Christ's Milennium is not going to be an existence where only His saints are changed to the "spiritual body" Paul taught when Christ comes. Not going to be some still walking around in their flesh bodies while others have been resurrected to the spiritual body. The dead will be raised at Christ's coming, and those of us still alive on earth will be changed, the wicked included in that too.

Then we all, together, will go through Christ's thousand years reign on earth, with a place of separation outside the holy city between His saints and the wicked (Rev.22:14-15).

Rev.3:9 also reveals this about those of the "synagogue of Satan" will be made to come worship Christ before the feet of His elect. That's Milennium timing.

So the "dead" that live not again until the thousand years is over per Rev.20:5 is meant in the spiritual death sense, not the literally dead in the graves sense. Those of the "resurrection of damnation" at Christ's coming stay in that type of resurrection throughout Christ's Milennium reign. And at the end of it, those who turn to Christ in that time must be tested by the devil, which is why Satan is released one final time to go tempt them. Those who overcome him will be of another resurrection unto eternal life unto Christ at the very end of that. Thus, the implied second resurrection is another one unto Christ, and not another one unto damnation.