The Second Aspect of the First Resurrection
Another aspect of the first resurrection from the dead has to do with God's witnesses.
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven (into the heaven) in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. (Rev 11:12)
The two witnesses of Revelation, Chapter 11 represent the double portion of the Holy Spirit that will be given to Christ-filled saints of the last days. The two witnesses are "killed" by Antichrist, meaning that the Lord will permit the great rebellion against authority to drive the anointed testimony from the cities of the earth.
After Antichrist has been allowed his brief triumph, the Lord Jesus will appear. He will raise His witnesses from the dead and call them up to Himself in a cloud. The resurrection and ascension of the witnessing saints will be the greatest testimony of the Person and will of God the peoples of the earth ever have been given.
The resurrection described in Rev 11:12 contains more of the elements with which we are familiar than is true of Rev 4:1. We find the resurrection of the dead bodies, the cloud, the trumpet (the seventh and last trumpet—1 Corinthians 15:52), and the loud voices (Rev 11:15).
Rev 11:11 describes the open testimony to the world as every eye beholds the hated saints come forth from their graves and stand on their feet (which is the meaning of the term resurrection ).
Christ was declared to be the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit that was exercised in raising Him from the dead and enabling Him to walk out of the cave of Joseph of Arimathea.
The resurrection of Christ could not be kept secret but was proclaimed to the whole world by the empty cave.
In like manner the saints will be declared to be God's sons by the power of the Holy Spirit exercised in raising them from the dead (Romans 8:19).
Our resurrection from the dead will be patterned after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our resurrection from the dead is a continuation of the one resurrection of Christ.
Christ's resurrection and ours will be demonstrated simultaneously in stupendous power and glory at His (and our) glorious appearing from Heaven. This is also expressed in Romans 8:17. He and we will shine as one Light to the world, one open manifestation of the Son of God by the power of the resurrection from the dead.
Whereas Rev 4:1 points toward a spiritual resurrection and ascension of Christ-filled saints that they may know the future, the resurrection and ascension of Rev 11:11-12, has to do with the Divine testimony to the world of the Son-ship and Lordship of Christ and the extension of God's love and favour to the saints.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, . . . . (Rev 1:7)
So far we have mentioned:
. The necessary elements in arriving at the first resurrection, which are the rewards to the overcomer mentioned in Chapters Two and Three of Revelation.
. The initial resurrection and ascension of the born-again inner nature of the believer.
. The testimony to the nations of the earth produced by the resurrection and ascension of the saints.