The Second Death has No Power over the First Resurrected Revelation 20:6

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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” In Revelation chapter twenty and verse six John shares how, “the second death has no power” where we read:

Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The verse reads, “Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection:” John began with the word, “blessed” which means “oh how happy and supremely blessed” “and holy” or “and sacred, pure, morally blameless and religiously and ceremonially consecrated” “is he that has part” which refers to “is the person whether male or female who holds, owns and possesses a measure, destiny, division and share” “in the first” or “in the chief, principal, beginning and best” “resurrection” which means “rising and raising up from the dead”. John shared how the person who possesses a “share” in the “beginning and best” “raising from the dead”.

The verse continues, “on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” John added the words, “on such” which means “on those who are part of the first resurrection” “the second death” or “the afterward or second in place and rank of the separation of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended” “has no power” which means “does not own, possess or hold physical or mental leave, permission, ability or strength”; “but” or “moreover and” “they shall be priests” which refers to “those who are part of the first resurrection will be ones who offer sacrifices and in general who are busied with sacred rites” “of God” or “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “and of Christ” which refers to “and of the Messiah, the Son of God and the anointed One”, “and shall reign” or “and will rule, have authority and kingly power” “with him” which refers to “Jesus” “a thousand years” or “for one thousand years”. John shared how those who participate in the “first resurrection” will not be affected by the “second death”, and they will be involved in the “sacred rites” as God's ministers as they “rule” with Jesus upon the earth.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we should be motivated to insure that we are a part of the “first resurrection”. Those who are raised in the “first resurrection” shall be employed by God as His ministers during the “millennium”, and the “second death”, which will be for those who have rejected Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”, will have no affect upon them. The idea is to warn people that there will be a “second death” that may be avoided, and God desires to “save” every person from this event if they will only “believe and trust” in His Son Jesus. The promise to those who believe is to “rule and reign” with Jesus, and those who do not will encounter a fate from which none will be spared.

Next time John shares what happens, “when the thousand years are expired”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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