The First Resurrection
The book of the Revelation speaks so positively and definitely as to this important truth of “the first resurrection,” that it seems strange that any who profess to bow to the Word of God could have a shadow of doubt about it. I will cite the whole passage that refers to it.
“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 worshiped 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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. ‘This is the first resurrection.’ 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” (Rev. 20:4,64And 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. (Revelation 20:4)
6Blessed 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 20:6)).
You will remark that in these verses the term, “the first resurrection,” occurs twice; and the very fact of the use of the word “first” implies a second. Those who have part in this resurrection are called, “Blessed and holy.” How could the Spirit of God use such language if the whole of mankind were intended? Nothing could be plainer than that the saints only are treated of – those who, having discovered whilst on earth their lost condition, believed the testimony of God concerning His Son, were justified, fell asleep in the faith, and come forth, blessed and holy, to the resurrection of life. The rest of the dead, as this Scripture so plainly states, “lived not again until the thousand years were finished.”
The just, being raised at the first resurrection, reign with Christ a thousand years, the duration of His kingdom and glory, of which we shall see more in another paper; the rest of the dead – the unjust, the wicked – remain in their graves until the close of that period, when they are raised for judgment, brought before Him who sits on the great white throne, and cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11, 1511And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11)
15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.”
We must now turn to some details connected with this truth, which may at first appear to present difficulties to any who have not considered them; for we are very apt to come to God’s Word full of our own thoughts and thus are unprepared to receive what He has to communicate to us. Trained in tradition, we are very slow to grasp the scope of God’s thoughts as to this and other truths of Scripture.
Now not only do we read of two resurrections, perfectly distinct in time, and embracing distinct classes of persons, but if we carefully weigh the passage that we have been already dwelling on in connection with others, we find that the first resurrection will not take place all at one time. That is to say, that those who have part in it are not only saints who fall asleep previous to the coming of Christ for His people, and are raised at that moment, but also those who pass away between that event and the commencement of His reign, the latter being raised just previous thereto.
Let me explain this more fully. We have already seen that when the Lord descends into the air for His saints, all will be removed – the dead raised, the living changed; “They that are Christ’s at His coming” will be raised (1 Cor. 15:2323But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:23)), and those who have not fallen asleep, but are alive and remain, “shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:5151Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (1 Corinthians 15:51)). But after this has taken place, and previous to Christ’s coming forth to reign, a short, but most terrible period of tribulation will elapse, unparalleled for its horrors in the world’s history (Matt. 24:21-2221For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:21‑22); Rev. 3:1010Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)), during which time the beast and false prophet will be manifest and the apostasy take place, details of which we shall speak of later on.
Whilst these things are coming to pass the Spirit of God will have raised a fresh testimony of Jesus among the Jews (Christians having been caught up), and fearful persecutions will be the result. The effect of this is seen in Revelation 6:9,119And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: (Revelation 6:9)
11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:11): “And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”
Here you will observe there are two classes of sufferers, martyrs for the truth’s sake, in that day. The former are seen in the vision in the disembodied state – souls under the altar crying to the Lord for vengeance upon their enemies (a cry which would point to their Jewish character, Christians being taught to bless them which persecute, etc.), and they are told to rest until their fellow-servants and their brethren (probable Gentiles and Jews) should be killed as they. If we compare these verses with the description of the first resurrection in Revelation 20:44And 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. (Revelation 20:4) that we have already looked at, we shall find these two classes of martyred saints are again brought forward, distinct from those raised and translated at the coming of Christ in the air. All is in the most perfect order.
First, “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.” These are the heavenly saints, corresponding with those represented by the four and twenty elders (Rev. 4-5, etc.), glorified at Christ’s coming in the air, here viewed on millennial thrones, judgment given to them. “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” (1 Cor. 6:22Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (1 Corinthians 6:2))
Secondly, “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God,” corresponding with the first class of martyrs of the fifth seal (Rev. 6:99And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: (Revelation 6:9)), almost the same words being used of both.
Thirdly, “And (those, Gr.) which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands,” corresponding with the fellow-servants and the brethren of Revelation 6:1111And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:11), for whom the other martyrs are told to wait.
Now mark, those on the throne are already in glorified bodies – seated, ready to judge; but the two classes of martyrs are still viewed in the vision in the disembodied state. “I saw the souls,” says the prophet; but at the close of the verse we read, “They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” All three classes share the heavenly blessing during the millennial reign; they live and reign with Christ. (See Rev. 20:66Blessed 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 20:6)). But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
(To be continued.)