02.59. LECTURE No. 59 -- Rev_20:4-6
LECTURE No. 59 -- Revelation 20:4-6
We Have a More Sure Word of Prophecy Whereunto We Would All Do Well to Take Heed An Understanding of the Subject of the Resurrection As Given in this Chapter Is Very Necessary and Very Important - The Subject of the Resurrection Is Closely Related to Doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming - What Is Meant by "The First Resurrection" and Who Will It Include? - The Fifteenth Chapter of First Corinthians Gives Us Great Light and Truth on This Important Subject - The Order of the Resurrections Is What Many People Do Not Understand - The Method of the Resurrection is Discussed by the Apostle Paul in First Corinthians the Fifteenth Chapter and Verses Thirty-five to Fifty - With So Many Facts and So Much Truth on This Subject at Hand the Unbelievers Are Left without Excuse
A Sure Word of Prophecy
HOW glad and how thankful we should be that as the evening shadows of this dying age lengthen and darken into the night of earth’s coming time of tribulation, that we have a sure word of prophecy whereunto we do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. We do not need to be surprised therefore at anything which might happen suddenly in these days in which we live.
Certainly, my friends, we are hastening on towards the end of the times of the Gentiles and to the time of great tribulation and to earth’s darkest night, which God has ordained must come to pass before the return of Christ in His revelation to establish the kingdom of heaven upon the earth, as foreseen and foretold in the Word of God.
We have progressed in our present study to Revelation 20:1-15. Our last lesson was based upon Revelation 20:4-6. In Revelation 20:1-3 of this chapter it is revealed that the time is coming when Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years and that after that, he must be loosed for a little season.
Lesson Text
Since we did not entirely finish our study of those things which are mentioned in verses Revelation 20:4-6 of this chapter, in our last lesson, we shall read the passage again to refresh our minds concerning what was said and to get the material for our present lesson clearly before us.
In Revelation 20:4-6 of our lesson text, John said,
“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, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
These important words, my friends, imply the fact that Christ Himself is coming again to rule and reign over the nations for a thousand years. They plainly teach also that there will be those who will be associated with Him in His glorious reign of righteousness over the earth. We devoted most of our time in our last lesson to proving from the scriptures that Jesus is coming again for this very purpose. We pointed out that those who suffer with Him shall also reign with Him during the kingdom age.
Resurrection Necessary
It is necessary for us to understand that before Christ can come and establish His kingdom upon earth the first resurrection must take place as one of the major events which must precede the establishment of the kingdom. That is why it is mentioned here in the Revelation.
According to our lesson text those who received thrones and “sat upon them, to whom judgment was given, and those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and 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,” lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
What Is Meant by “The First Resurrection”
Then in Revelation 20:5 of our lesson text it says, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.”
Frankly, my friends, it has taken me a good many years to understand what is meant in this passage as the “first resurrection.”
The scriptures make mention of two kinds of resurrection. The first is spoken of as the “resurrection of the just” which is written in Luke 14:13-14, where it says,
“But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
The resurrection of the just stands out in contrast to the resurrection of the unjust which is mentioned in John 5:28-29, where Jesus said,
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
In this statement Jesus mentioned both resurrections and unless we are careful to study the entire Word of God on this subject, we are in great danger of falling into the error of thinking that there is to be a general resurrection, and a general judgment to take place in one day. But that is not true, for in our lesson text we discover that the first resurrection is not to be accomplished all at once, and that the resurrection of the unjust, which is thought of as the second resurrection will not take place until after the thousand years are finished. Who the First Resurrection Will Include
According to our lesson text, I am constrained to believe that what is spoken of here as the first resurrection will include the righteous saints of every dispensation including the saints of the Old Testament period, the church saints of the present age of grace, the tribulation saints of the coming tribulation period and the saints of the kingdom age of one thousand years, often spoken of as the millennium, which is yet future. Not until all the righteous saints of every age shall have been resurrected will the first resurrection be completed. The Great Resurrection Chapter of the New Testament For further instruction on this important subject, let us turn to the 15th chapter of First Corinthians, which is the great resurrection chapter of the New Testament. It is a rather lengthy chapter but since it touches upon so many points of vital interest concerning our subject, we feel led to read and study the entire chapter! In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, the Apostle Paul said,
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.” The Fact of the Resurrection
Certainly, my friends, these word prove beyond the shadow of a doubt the fact of the resurrection and that Christ, who was the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel and the Saviour of the world after He had been crucified and buried rose again the third day according to the scriptures. The Resurrection Fundamental to Christian Faith This is an important truth and on which is fundamental to all Christian teaching. The Apostle Paul believed all of these things concerning Christ with his whole heart and preached the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ and of our subsequent resurrection to all who would bear him. The Importance of Christ’s Resurrection In 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 of this same chapter the Apostle Paul reasoned concerning the importance of Christ’s resurrection, saying,
“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”
This, my friends, is not only interesting but very necessary truth. If you take away the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ then there would be little left in Christian teaching for men to cling to.
The resurrection, therefore, is fundamentally a necessary part of Christian faith and hope and practice. Let us not forget that if Christ be not raised, our faith is vain and we are yet in our sins, and how terrible a thing that would be! Certainly, the doctrine of our own immortality and our hope of life beyond the grave is dependent upon the resurrection of Christ. The Order of the Resurrections Also Important
After speaking of the importance of Christ’s resurrection, the Apostle then proceeded in verses 1 Corinthians 15:20-26 to speak of the order of the resurrections, by saying,
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under feet.
“But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is expected, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
“If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”
Christ the Firstfruits
Some great fundamental truths are also mentioned here in this portion of the chapter. After stating in 1 Corinthians 15:20 that Christ had risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept, the Apostle confirmed his argument concerning Christ by saying,
“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
After declaring that all men would be made alive, he was very careful to state upon this point that every man would be made alive, not all at once, but every man in his own order, “Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
Those That Are Christ’s at His Coming No doubt, those that are Christ’s at His coming will be the church saints who will be resurrected or changed while living, and caught up to meet Christ in the air according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, which is generally known as the resurrection and rapture of the church saints.
We must remember also that Jesus will come at the close of the tribulation period in His revelation back to the earth, at which time the tribulation saints, along with the saints of the Old Testament period, will be raised from the dead and join with Christ in the blessings of the kingdom age. The Resurrection of the Wicked Dead at the Close of the Kingdom Age
After the kingdom age is finished, in 1 Corinthians 15:24-25 the Apostle said,
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”
Thus, my friends, we see that the first resurrection will take place, not all at once, but in the divine order which God has ordained until all the righteous saints of every age have been resurrected. The Manner of the Resurrection
Having confirmed the fact of Christ’s resurrection and the importance of Christ’s resurrection and the order of the resurrections in 1 Corinthians 15:35-50, the Apostle Paul spoke of the method of resurrection, saying,
“But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
“All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption : It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
“And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”
All Unbelievers Without Excuse
Certainly, my friends, in this remarkable passage, the Apostle has disarmed all unbelievers in the resurrection and has left them without excuse for their unbelief.
There is much that could be said upon this passage, but our lesson would be incomplete if we did not read what is written in verses 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, where the Apostle said,
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
“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. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Thus, my friends, in the concluding part of this wonderful chapter on the subject of the resurrection, the Apostle spoke of the rapture of the saints which will take place when Christ comes for His church, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
In these words, he also gave to us a prophetic foreview of the final victory over death, and he makes this great truth a reason why we should be faithful in Christian service.
Understanding all of these things, we do not wonder that in Revelation 20:6, in our lesson text, the Apostle John said,
“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.”
~ end of lecture 59 ~