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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Aspects of the Resurrection of the Saints, #6
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. (Revelation 4:1)
We do not believe Revelation 4:1 is portraying the resurrection and ascension of the elect but is more in line with Colossians 3:1-3 and Ephesians 1:17-2:7. The resurrection and ascension of our born-again inner nature is, we believe, a first step in the full resurrection and ascension of the conquering saints.
As soon as John was caught "up hither," he saw twenty-four elders casting their crowns before the Throne of God. Perhaps the twenty-four elders represent those of the Old Testament elect (twelve elders) and those of the New Testament elect (twelve elders) who have been found worthy to sit on thrones in the Presence of God and the Lamb.
Each of them has learned that all his ability to rule in God comes from Christ alone. They cast their crowns before the throne and proclaim the worthiness of the Lord. No person is fit to participate in the first resurrection from the dead, to sit on a throne in the Presence of God and the Lamb, until he has learned thoroughly that apart from Christ he can do nothing.
The Second Aspect of the First Resurrection. Another aspect of the first resurrection from the dead has to do with God's witnesses.
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven [into the heaven] in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. (Revelation 11:12)
The two witnesses of Revelation, Chapter 11 represent the double portion of the Holy Spirit that will be given to Christ-filled saints of the last days. The two witnesses are "killed" by Antichrist, meaning that the Lord will permit the great rebellion against authority to drive the anointed testimony from the cities of the earth.
After Antichrist has been allowed his brief triumph, the Lord Jesus will appear. He will raise His witnesses from the dead and call them up to Himself in a cloud. The resurrection and ascension of the witnessing saints will be the greatest testimony of the Person and will of God the peoples of the earth ever have been given.
The resurrection described in Revelation 11:12 contains more of the elements with which we are familiar than is true of Revelation 4:1. We find the resurrection of the dead bodies, the cloud, the trumpet (the seventh and last trumpet—I Corinthians 15:52), and the loud voices (Revelation 11:15).
Revelation 11:11 describes the open testimony to the world as every eye beholds the hated saints come forth from their graves and stand on their feet (which is the meaning of the term resurrection ).
Christ was declared to be the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit that was exercised in raising Him from the dead and enabling Him to walk out of the cave of Joseph of Arimathea.
The resurrection of Christ could not be kept secret but was proclaimed to the whole world by the empty cave.
In like manner the saints will be declared to be God's sons by the power of the Holy Spirit exercised in raising them from the dead (Romans 8:19).
To be continued.