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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Second Resurrection, #3
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. 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 [authority], but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6)
Is not this passage speaking only of the victorious saints, of God's priests and kings—those who will assist in establishing the Kingdom of God on the earth? Nothing is said here about the salvation of mankind!
The first resurrection from the dead is not the resurrection of salvation. It is a special advance resurrection for the purpose of changing the occupants of the spiritual thrones that govern the earth from fallen angels to the saints of the Lord, the Lord's conquerors. There is nothing in Revelation 20:4-6 suggesting that this is the resurrection of salvation or that it is the time when the eternal destinies of most people are decided.
An individual who has had no previous theological training would view Revelation 20:4-6 as referring to especially stalwart and dedicated saints, particularly the victorious saints of the tribulation period. He would not see in this passage a reference to the multitude of weak, ignorant believers of Church history.
As we understand it, the first resurrection takes place at the beginning of the thousand-year period and is for the purpose of establishing the Kingdom of God on the earth. It is the second resurrection that has as its purpose the judgment of people and their entrance into life or into the second death.
It is the second resurrection that is the resurrection of salvation.
The first resurrection has to do with the rulership of the earth. The second resurrection has to do with being saved or being lost.
Peter understood this to be the case. He discusses the need for repentance. Then he speaks of the coming of the Day of the Lord, the Day of Judgment.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (II Peter 3:10)
It may be noted (above) that Peter overlooks the thousand-year period, proceeding immediately to the time of the second resurrection. It is as though the first resurrection does not exist.
The first resurrection, toward which Paul was pressing to the end of his days on the earth, is the resurrection of the victorious saints. It is the gathering of God's kings and priests to Himself so they may descend with Jesus and work with Him in setting up the Kingdom of God.
Whoever attains the first resurrection need have no fear of the Day of Judgment at the end of the Millennium. The second death, the Lake of Fire, no longer can harm him. It no longer has authority over him.
To be continued.