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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Two Hopes; Two Armies; Two Resurrections, continued
(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:5—NIV)
The first resurrection.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. (Revelation 20:12—NIV)
The second resurrection.
If Paul, after an extraordinarily fruitful life and ministry, had not as yet attained the out-resurrection (according to his own testimony), which is the necessary preparation for the first resurrection, what then is true of the rank and file of the believers of today who think they will be raised when the Lord returns even though they have never taken up their cross and set out after the Lord?
The differences between the two resurrections, one at the time of Jesus' return and the other at the conclusion of the thousand years, are remarkable. The first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6) is for the rulers, the royal priesthood. They gain their bodies at this time so they may rule with Jesus from Jerusalem.
Notice that no books are opened at the first resurrection, whereas at the second resurrection (Revelation 20:11-15) the books of record and the Book of Life are opened.
The reason no books are opened at the first resurrection is that those who attain the redemption of their body at that time were judged on the earth before they died. The worldliness, lust, and self-will of their personality were brought before the Lord and dealt with.
It is clear, from Revelation 20:4-6, that the first resurrection is for the saints who have conquered, who have lived victorious lives in Christ. It obviously is an elite group of governing priests. It is not speaking of everyone who will be saved, such as those who are saved by fire. It is not speaking of the majority in Sardis who are unworthy to walk with Christ in the white robes of the priesthood.
The sum of what we are saying is that you cannot assume you will be raised from the dead and glorified when the Lord first appears. This first resurrection must be attained by following Jesus with your whole heart. You must be called, chosen, and then proven faithful.
If you are not raised when the Lord appears you will be raised at the end of the thousand years. There you will be judged according to the choices you have made during your lifetime. If you have known the Gospel you will be judged by the Gospel. If you have never heard of the Gospel you will be judged by whatever you did know of God's will.
The first resurrection is a goal worth pursuing. Today the Spirit of God is brooding on the face of the Christian churches to see who will move past the basic salvation and Pentecostal experiences and enter the fullness of His Presence and indwelling.
Such will appear with the Lord when He returns because He is their Life. But the majority of believers are still living in their natural life, not by the body and blood of Jesus, and will not be called up to the slain Lamb when He appears in the sky.
To be continued.