Two Resurrections.
“…and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” – Revelation 20:4 – 6 (NASB)
Both Daniel and Jesus talked about a resurrection of life and another of damnation. (John 5:28,29 & Daniel 12:2). Revelation 20 puts a thousand years between the two. If we are born only once, then this chapter tells us we will die twice. However if we are born twice as Jesus explained to Nicodemus, then we will die only once. Even then, there will be a faithful group who will not see death because they will be living when Jesus comes. Thus: born once die twice, born twice die once – if at all.
How would you like to be seated before a gigantic screen about 800m wide and actually watch the play-out of human history before your eyes? There you could see the final destiny of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived in this world. All your questions will be answered. God, indeed, gives us such a panoramic preview in one of the most dramatic prophecies in the Bible. Some people have harboured the dream that society will eventually correct itself and will develop into a golden age of millennial peace. In this grand Utopia everyone is supposed to be converted and will cooperate in building a new world of brotherhood and peace. I wish this could be a true picture of the future, but it is exactly the opposite of what the Bible portrays. Jesus said, “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day..” Luke 17:26 (NLT). Paul said, “But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13 NLT. No, this dream of a temporal millennium is just a vast delusion, and we are not interested in dreams or fancies. We want to know the facts about the future and what will happen to every person who has been a part of this earthly scene.
Most people know that the word “millennium” is not even found in the Bible at all.
It is taken from two Latin words: “milli,” meaning a thousand, and “annum,” meaning a year. But even though the word is not mentioned in the Scriptures there are references to a thousand-year period of time. Invariably, they are clustered around the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead.
Before giving further specific proof on this point, we must note that Christ referred to the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation. This seems to indicate that the saved and lost do not arise at the same time. Two separate resurrections are described. The book of Revelation confirms this fact. John wrote, “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.” Revelation 20:6.The use of the term “first resurrection” is proof that there must be more than one. If I say, “This is the first house I built,” you know that I had to build at least one other.
Two points are established in this text. First, only those in Christ will have any part in the first resurrection. It plainly says, “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection.” Second, we learn that the resurrection of God’s faithful is the beginning point of the millennium, because after being raised they “shall reign with him a thousand years.” According to this verse, none of the wicked (the unsaved) will have any part in the first resurrection. This is also established by verses 4 and 5 which describe the resurrection of those “which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived (came to live) and reigned with Christ a thousand years. … This is the first resurrection.” This leaves no doubt about the class who will be included in the first resurrection. It is only for those who remained faithful to Christ. But in the midst of that text we find a very significant, parenthetical sentence: “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Verse 5.
Obviously, the “rest of the dead” can only be in reference to the unsaved and those who have rejected faith in Jesus. They will come forth from their graves at the end of the millennium—when “the thousand years were finished.” Now we have a clear picture before us of two resurrections separated by a thousand years. The godly people are raised at the beginning of the millennium, and the ungodly are resurrected at the end.