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Aspect of the First Resurrection

Although we are heirs and rulers of all things we have been given a temporary, imprisoning body through means of which we are being taught the righteous ways of the Lord. It is a body of humbling (Deuteronomy 8:3). If we are successful in this instruction, if we overcome the obstacles placed before us, we will be given an eternal body at the return of Jesus. This is the first resurrection from the dead—the giving of eternal, ruling bodies to those who have been found worthy. It is the "crown of life," the authority of eternal life in an incorruptible body.

Participation in the first resurrection from the dead is not imputed to us by the Lord nor is it given to us on the basis of mercy. The first resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of God’s kings and priests, must be attained to. It is the consequence of permitting the Lord to crucify our adamic nature and form His own Substance and image in us.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement 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 worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on 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. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath 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 Book of Revelation is a description of the Day of the Lord. The emphasis is on the return of Christ to the earth, the resurrection of the dead, and the Divine judgement on the conduct of human beings. Revelation 1:7 is the cornerstone of this vision:

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

When the Lord Jesus returns He will call forth the dead bodies of all people, beginning with His victorious saints.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28,29)

Apart from the blood atonement, the resurrection from the dead is the most important act of the Divine redemption.

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (I Corinthians 15:16-19)

The Spirit of God has described various aspects of the resurrection from the dead, particularly the first part of the resurrection, in the Book of Revelation. The first part of the resurrection from the dead is the resurrection of the royal priesthood.

The first resurrection from the dead, which will take place at the coming of the Lord from Heaven, is the climax of the redemption of the saints. It is the expression, in the first-fruits of the Church, of Christ' own triumphant resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

After the cornerstone has been laid (Revelation 1:7), we see in Revelation, Chapters Two and Three the necessary elements in attaining to the first resurrection—the resurrection of the victorious saints, the "chosen" (Matthew 20:16).

It is the author's point of view that the rewards to the overcomer are steps in attaining to the first resurrection from the dead and taken together constitute the first resurrection. It may be observed that the first reward to the overcomer is to eat of the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). The last reward to the overcomer is to sit with the Lord Jesus on His throne (Revelation 3:21).

Our first step toward the first resurrection is to eat of the tree of life. Our final step is to sit on the throne with the Lord. When the first resurrection arrives, the emphasis is on the thrones that govern the creation.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement was given unto them: . . . . (Revelation 20:4)

The second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation call out the victorious saints, the first-fruits of the Wife of the Lamb, from the multitude of Christian believers. These two chapters were announced with "a great voice, as of a trumpet" (Revelation 1:10,11). They include severe rebukes to the seven churches but they promise the rewards of the first resurrection to the overcomer's in those churches.

The rewards mentioned in the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation, such as eating from the tree of life, the crown of life, ruling over the nations of the earth, becoming a pillar in the Temple of God, are for those who are living in the victory of Christ.

The Apostle Paul described his pursuit of the first resurrection or, as we see it, the rewards to the overcomer:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection Greek, out-resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ. (Philippians 3:10-12)

The spiritual counterpart and requirement of the first resurrection begins now—in this present life. The spiritual resurrection of those who attain to the first resurrection commences before the physical resurrection and finishes in the authority and glory set forth in Revelation 20:4-6. Participation in the first resurrection from the dead is not given to us on the basis of grace or mercy. The first resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of God's kings and priests, must be attained. It is the consequence of permitting the Lord to crucify our adamic nature and form His own Substance and image in us.

Our resurrected mortal body will be clothed with a spiritual body from Heaven. The spiritual body from Heaven is being fashioned from the death and resurrection we are experiencing now.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inner man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (II Corinthians 4:16,17)

The spiritual body from Heaven is the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" that is created by our "light affliction."

The body in which we shall dwell forever is not imputed (assigned) to us by grace. It is our resurrected mortal body clothed upon with a spiritual "robe," a robe that is the product of a patient, cross-carrying following of the Lord Jesus through the death and resurrection of our soul.

We shall receive what we have practiced in our flesh. We shall reap what we sow (II Corinthians 4:16-5:10; I Corinthians 15:35-44; Galatians 6:8).

The wicked will receive what they have practiced in the world.

The working of the grace of God in Christ in the victorious saints creates the Life of Christ in us. The Life of Christ transforms our inner man. As this transformation takes place a corresponding "weight" of glory is created before the throne of the Father. In the Day of Resurrection our flesh and bones will rise and be clothed with the heavenly weight of glory, the "house which is from heaven"

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness (righteous deeds) of saints. (Revelation 19:8)

After pointing out the necessary elements in attaining to the first resurrection, the Lord Jesus shows us what the Father has revealed to Him concerning some of the other aspects of the first resurrection from the dead.

We must keep in mind that the Book of Revelation is not presenting world or Church history in strict order of time. The vision is of the Day of the Lord and is as the many faces of one diamond, many different vantage points from which to view one scene—the Day of the Lord, the Day of Christ. The Church Era is the evening, and the coming of the Sun of Righteousness is the morning, of the sixth day, the Day of the Lord, the day when man is made in God’s image.

You may note that the seventh day of creation has no evening and morning. The new heaven and earth reign of the Lord Jesus Christ is the seventh day, the day of God's rest, the eternal day that has no end.


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