Revelation 20:4-5

In Revelation 20:5 we find in the Bible a reference to a "First Resurrection". Premillennialists and Amillennialists have debated the nature of that resurrection since the closure of the Holy Canon. Premillennialists insist that this "First Resurrection" refers to the bodily resurrection of the Just at the time of the Second Coming of Christ while the Unjust will remain in the grave until a period of 1000 years of reign of Christ over the earth is completed. At that point "The Second resurrection", which will be only for sinners, will take place.

Amillennialists believe that such resurrection is not a reference to the bodily resurrection of the believers at the time of Christ's second coming, but to the resurrection of a soul dead in sins and trespasses to Life in Christ at the time of salvation.

The Premillennialists fail to understand this true biblical doctrine due to a great extent to their materialistic mentality full of supposed "literalism"  that looks forward for a Kingdom of "Earthly Glory" and "National Favoritism" which are completely contrary to Scripture. When we let the Bible speak on it's own without "taking away" or "adding to" it's meaning, then we can see how it all makes sense and becomes clear.

In this short article I would like to bring to the reader's attention an important Biblical doctrine that I feel is normally overlooked when interpreting the "First Resurrection" of Revelation 20:5. If we read in Revelation 20:6 the Bible tells us that those who take part in the "First Resurrection" are blessed because the "Second Death" has no power over them. This "Second Death" is then mentioned again in Revelation 20:14, where it says that those who were NOT found written in the book of Life were cast into the Lake of Fire, "This is the Second Death".

The fact that the text talks about a "Second Death" should make us ask the following question: Which one is then the First Death? Many will quickly conclude that "The First death" is that which happens at the time of physical death and burial, but such interpretation, I believe is NOT in total agreement with the Bible and what it says about the subject. But before we continue it is also important to understand that when Christ returns, not everyone will be physically dead, some will be alive, including believers. These Christians will NOT be resurrected but will be transformed at the time of the rapture. This quickly indicates to us that the passage of Revelation 20:5 CANNOT be referring to a "physical resurrection of the body". If that were the case, then those believers who are alive at the time of Christ coming do not resurrect or take part in such  "first resurrection of the body" . In 1 Corinthians 15:51 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says that the dead "will resurrect" but those who are alive at the moment of the rapture will not be resurrected but will be transformed instead.

1 Corinthians 15

 ⁵¹Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Thessalonians 4

¹⁵For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And THE DEAD in Christ WILL RISE first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

It is also very CLEAR in the passage of Revelation 20 that the ONLY ONES who will not suffer the Second Death are ONLY THOSE who take part in the FIRST RESURRECTION, therefore any believer who is alive at the time of Christ Coming will not "blessed" and the Second Death will have power over him. But that makes absolutely no sense.

Many Premillennialists do not accept the Biblical fact that the first resurrection of the believer is a Spiritual one that happens at conversion, thus denying the words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

They based their reasoning on the fact that no one "literally" comes out of any "physical" tomb into any "physical" body at the time of conversion. That being the case, they see themselves forced to admit that when Adam sinned he really did not die the "FIRST DEATH" since he was not "literally" buried in a physical tomb at the physical Garden of Eden.

The "First death" came through Adam. The Bible teaches that ALL of us were in dead in Adam when he sinned. When we are born of the FLESH, we TAKE PART in Adam's death we become "Dead in Adam". We are counted as being dead in Adam.

Even though we WERE NOT at the Garden of Eden when Adam sinned and died. We are still dead in him in the "FIRST DEATH". Every human being becomes a participant in such death by physical birth. (this is what theologians call "imputed sin").  At the time of birth, a baby, becomes a participant of the sin Adam committed thousands of years ago, therefore he is spiritually dead even one minute after being born!! This newborn baby is identified by physical birth to Adam and takes part in Adam's sin. That is what Paul says in…

In the Garden of Eden God told Adam that if he ate of the forbidden fruit, he was going to die on that SAME DAY. But as we all know, Adam did not die physically and was not physically buried in a physical tomb in the Garden.

Genesis 2:16

The "FIRST DEATH" is Adam, that is why Paul says in Corinthians 15:22 "For in Adam all die", in reference to physical death of the body, because when we are born of the flesh, we are "in Adam" and we die the first death.  Physical death is part of this the first death in that it is a direct consequence and visible manifestation of the spiritual invisible death. The physical death of Adam was evidence that he had incurred in "spiritual death" and in that manner he died physically at the age of 930.  Since then, men have reaped spiritual death and it's evidence physical death because of Adam's disobedience.

Then came Christ, the Second Adam. When Christ resurrected from the dead, He resurrected us with him. Even though we were NOT at Calvary literally dying on the cross with Him and were not in Israel on Resurrection Sunday being "literally" risen with him, we were resurrected. When we are "BORN AGAIN" we take part in that cross and of that death and THAT RESURRECTION!

Jesus clearly said that He was the resurrection. In the same way that Adam is death, the Second Adam Christ, is the "First Resurrection"

Adam was the figure of him that was to come, Jesus. Adam brought the "First death" but Jesus brought the "First resurrection".

Romans 5

When someone believes in Jesus for salvation, he is identified with Christ's resurrection. A one-day-old believer is reigning forever with Christ because he becomes part of that first resurrection which is Jesus.

 

Colossians 1:18

And He is the Head of the Body, the Church; who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead that in all things He might have preeminence.

Colossians 2:12

Buried with Him in Baptism, wherein also ye were Risen with Him through faith…

The Greek words used here in Acts 26:23, are the same Greek words used in Rev. 20:5:

• Acts 26:23 [Protos] First [anastasis] resurrection [ek] from [nekros] (the) dead

• Revelation 20:5 [Protos] First [anastasis] resurrection

- THE REAL MESSAGE OF REVELATION 20 -

The purpose of Revelation 20:5 is to show the "Biblical truth" that those believers who die physically "REALLY NEVER DIE", their souls are ALIVE with Jesus in heaven. I think this is exactly what Jesus told Martha:

 

                    John 11

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

While the rest of the physically dead will not live again until judgment day. These souls of the martyred ones [zao] "remain alive" OR "are alive" and they are kings and priests unto the Lord.

Revelation 20:4

The word used here in this verse translated "and they lived" is [zao/ezësan], this word "does not necessarily mean" that they were physically resurrected at that particular moment since it must include all those who reign with Christ and that includes ALL believers whether dead or alive (cf. Ephesians 2:6 ) 

Ephesians 2

⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

So it most likely means that they "continued living". The word is in "aorist" tense and speaks of the fact that they have life.  When in Revelation 20:5 it says "This is the first Resurrection" what it implies is, this is the direct consequence of the first resurrection. The martyrs were killed yet they [zao] are alive!. PHYSICAL DEATH DID NOTHING to them. In contrast, the other dead, those who did not participate of the first resurrection in Chtist, did not (will not) live until judgment day.