Taking Part in the First Resurrection!
Reading: Revelation 20
My Verse: "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" (20:6)
There is so much here to understand, LORD God. I have read this so many times and yet each time I do so with trepidation because there is much I do not fully understand. The depth of meaning packed into each chapter, verse, phrase, word is amazing and one cannot read this lightly. Here in this fifth blessing of Revelation You tell us those who take part in the first resurrection will be blessed.
I had to remind myself what the first resurrection was. It is good to understand that we are eternal beings. We have a physical body that will die but we also have souls that do not die but will be resurrected at some time in the future. Daniel speaks of this in Daniel 12:2. "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." This clearly states that all will be raised from the dead but not to the same future.
This first resurrection is that of the believers, those that follow You. You, Jesus paved the way for us in this by resurrecting from the grave on the third day. Then You resurrected the Jerusalem saints, "and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised." Finally, of course, that glorious event that we, the followers of today look forward to with great anticipation. "For 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).
It is then that we will reign with You Lord Jesus. We "will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years." Cannot even imagine what this will be like. But I do look forward to that glorious time.
Unfortunately, this mention of a first resurrection does indicate that there will be a second resurrection. This second resurrection has no power over believers but in 20:12-15 the dead that are part of this are described. They are the unbelievers. "both great and small . . . they stood before the throne . . . This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire." There is the eternal damnation - eternal separation from You, LORD God. Physical death ends all recourse, there is no longer the opportunity to change ones mind - to turn to You. The parable told by You in Luke 16:19-31 clearly speaks to this. "Now is the day of salvation" (I Corinthians 6:12).
I am so thankful to be one of those that will take part in that first resurrection, whether I am raised up from the dead or caught up to heaven, I will be there!
Ditat Deus- God Enriches!
Reading: Revelation 20
My Verse: "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" (20:6)
There is so much here to understand, LORD God. I have read this so many times and yet each time I do so with trepidation because there is much I do not fully understand. The depth of meaning packed into each chapter, verse, phrase, word is amazing and one cannot read this lightly. Here in this fifth blessing of Revelation You tell us those who take part in the first resurrection will be blessed.
I had to remind myself what the first resurrection was. It is good to understand that we are eternal beings. We have a physical body that will die but we also have souls that do not die but will be resurrected at some time in the future. Daniel speaks of this in Daniel 12:2. "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." This clearly states that all will be raised from the dead but not to the same future.
This first resurrection is that of the believers, those that follow You. You, Jesus paved the way for us in this by resurrecting from the grave on the third day. Then You resurrected the Jerusalem saints, "and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised." Finally, of course, that glorious event that we, the followers of today look forward to with great anticipation. "For 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17).
It is then that we will reign with You Lord Jesus. We "will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years." Cannot even imagine what this will be like. But I do look forward to that glorious time.
Unfortunately, this mention of a first resurrection does indicate that there will be a second resurrection. This second resurrection has no power over believers but in 20:12-15 the dead that are part of this are described. They are the unbelievers. "both great and small . . . they stood before the throne . . . This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire." There is the eternal damnation - eternal separation from You, LORD God. Physical death ends all recourse, there is no longer the opportunity to change ones mind - to turn to You. The parable told by You in Luke 16:19-31 clearly speaks to this. "Now is the day of salvation" (I Corinthians 6:12).
I am so thankful to be one of those that will take part in that first resurrection, whether I am raised up from the dead or caught up to heaven, I will be there!
Ditat Deus- God Enriches!
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