A Thousand Years and the First Resurrection Revelation 20:5

An “angel” from heaven showed John the apostle many things which will occur in the tribulation time on the earth, and John wrote about commercial Babylon's destruction and the people who were affected by it. John wrote about great worship which occurred in heaven afterward and then shared, “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. And I saw an angel come down from heaven,

having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. John continued, “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.” In Revelation chapter twenty and verse five John shares about, “the first resurrection” where we read:

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.

This is the first resurrection.

The verse reads, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” John began with the word, “but” which means “moreover and” “the rest” or “the remaining ones, remnant and residue” “of the dead” which refers to “who were lifeless, without breath, deceased, departed and inanimate” “lived not again” or “were not restored, revived, strengthened or given vigor of life” “until” which means “till the time and place of” “the thousand years” or “one thousand years” “were finished” or “were passed, completed, brought to a close and ended”. John shared how those who died and were not with Christ did not “live again” until the “thousand years” were over.

The verse goes on to say, “This is the first resurrection.” John added the words, “this is the first” which means “these are the first in time, place, rank and succession as well as the chief, principal and honored” “resurrection” or “rising, raising and restored from the dead unto life”. John declared this to be the “first” “raising from the dead unto life”.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we see how people who died during the tribulation time did not have life again until the “millennium” was over. John called this “the first resurrection”, and those who are a part of it will be with Jesus when He comes to rule and reign upon the earth. God desires to have a relationship with everyone through His Son Jesus, and when they receive Him as a personal “Savior and Lord”, they shall be a part of this great time. Let all who read these words consider being a part of the “first resurrection”, and refuse to be among those who shall not live until the thousand years are over.

Next time John shares how, “blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.