Two Resurrections Bound the Millennium

A comparison of John 5 with Revelation 20 shows that John uses the term first resurrection to identify the spiritual regeneration taught by Christ in John 5. This is consistent with being born again as taught in John 3. There is other New Testament support for the doctrine that men are dead in sin and are in need of regeneration before they can see the kingdom.

The first resurrection in Revelation 20 is associated with the 1000 year millennium. Since the first resurrection represents the regeneration of believers, which began at the coming of Christ, we can conclude that the millennium represents the gospel age; the time period in which the gospel of grace is preached to all nations. ‘The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe, both Jew and Greek.’

The second resurrection is associated with the physical resurrection of the body and with the final judgment, events associated with the second coming of Christ. In Revelation 20 the second resurrection occurs after the ‘thousand years are finished.’ Therefore, we must take the 1000 years as figurative, since no man knows the day of the Lord’s return.

Christ Teaches Two Resurrections in John 5

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” [John 5:24-29]

Those of faith have everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment. They have passed from death into life. This began at the time of Christ. ‘The time is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.’ This is the first resurrection; a spiritual birth from our natural state of deadness in sin.

The language in Ephesians 2 and Colossians 3 agrees with Christ’s definition of first resurrection in John 5…

‘You were dead in your trespasses and sins…but God…made us alive together with Christ…and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places...’ [Ephesians 2:1-6] ‘If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.’ [Colossians 3:1]

Second Resurrection in John 5

‘The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.’ This is the second resurrection; a physical resurrection of the body from a physical death to give an account to God of the life He has given us. ‘We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.’

John Teaches Two Resurrections in Revelation 20

‘And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over 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 20:4-6]

The souls of all the Christian dead lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Also, those who are part of the first resurrection are called blessed and holy and shall be priests of God and reign with Christ for a thousand years. This is similar language to Revelation 1 and I Peter 2 associated with the church…

‘And [Christ] has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father.’ [Revelation 1:6] ‘You [the church] are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession…’ [I Peter 2:9] By using this Old Testament quote, Peter identifies the church as Israel.

The first resurrection is linked to reigning with Christ and being priests of God during the millennium. This applies to the living and dead in Christ.

The second death associated with the judgment has no power over those who take part in the first resurrection. These are similar words that Christ used to define the first resurrection in John 5, saying that those who believe have everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment. Our basic premise is proven; John is expounding Christ’s teaching in John 5 with the figurative language of Revelation 20.

Second Resurrection in Revelation 20

Those who are not part of the first resurrection come to life after the millennium. This is the second resurrection. From Christ’s teaching in John 5 we know that this is the physical resurrection of the body. Unbelievers will be raised to condemnation and will go to the second death, identified as the lake of fire. [Revelation 20:14-15] Believers will be raised to a resurrection of life; that is our great hope of redemption of the whole man, both body and soul.

‘The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body…And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.’ [I Corinthians 15]

Summary of John on Resurrection and Death

First resurrection is spiritual for believers only.

First death is physical for all men.

Second resurrection is physical for all men.

Second death is eternal punishment for unbelievers only.

The first resurrection occurs during the millennium and is associated with new believers entering the church. Believers, whether here or with the Lord, are reigning with Christ and are priests to God, offering up spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. The second resurrection occurs after the millennium and is associated with final judgment. Unbelievers do not experience the first resurrection, nor do believers experience the second death.

The millennium can be defined as a long and indefinite period between the first and second advents of Christ. The number 1000 is symbolic of the completeness and perfection of the period. The evil one is restrained from deceiving the nations during this period so that all the elect are gathered into the kingdom through the gospel going with power to all the nations before the end can come.

There is nothing new or original here. These things are as old as the New Testament church and can be consistently found throughout church history. The power of dispensational doctrine is that believers under estimate the blessedness of the gospel age. We must look at the words of Christ and walk by faith, not by sight.

Also, the first resurrection as presented here is a despised doctrine even among some believers. We do not like the idea of resurrection being associated with our spiritual birth. They like to hold on to the belief that some how dead men can participate in their own resurrection. May the Lord give us a heart for the truth and the grace to walk therein. Amen.