Trumpet Ministries The First Resurrection
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There shall be two resurrections of the dead. The first will occur when the Lord returns, at the beginning of the thousand-year Kingdom Age. The second will take place at the end of the Kingdom Age.
It is taught commonly that the first resurrection is for all saved people and the second is for those who are lost. I do not believe the Scripture bears this out.
If we will look carefully at the description of the first resurrection, as it is presented in the early verses of the twentieth chapter of the Book of Revelation, we will note that it is the resurrection of an elite priesthood. Nothing is said or implied the first resurrection is the event during which all saved people are raised from the dead.
If we will look carefully at the description of the second resurrection, as it is presented in the last few verses of the twentieth chapter, we will see that the wording does not suggest all are lost who are raised at that time. In fact, the text suggests the opposite—that a minority are thrown into the Lake of Fire.
We see, then, that our tradition does not follow the text of the Scripture.
Paul stated, in the Book of Philippians, that he was endeavoring to attain to the resurrection (Greek: out-resurrection) from the dead. Since the Lord Jesus stated that all the dead shall hear His voice and come forth, it appears there is a special resurrection that must be attained to, and then a general resurrection in which the majority come forth, no attainment being necessary.
All of this makes sense. The practical import is that if we expect to be raised (or transformed) when the Lord appears, we must be qualified for this experience. How do we attain to the first resurrection? According to the Apostle Paul in Philippians, we attain to the out-resurrection by laying aside all else and seeking to gain Christ.
Because of our unscriptural traditions, the idea that Paul, toward the end of his life, was seeking to gain Christ, does not make any sense at all. Why would Paul seek that which is so freely given when we first come to Christ?
The answer is, our traditions are incorrect. Although we come to Christ in a moment of time (no attaining is required), and our sins are forgiven, this is just the beginning of the program of salvation. If we would maintain and profit from that which we have been given we must lay aside all else and press forward toward the out-resurrection. We must learn to live by the power of Christ's resurrection and be willing to share His sufferings and be conformed to His death.
We understand, therefore, that the great majority of Christian believers in the United States of America will not be raised when Jesus appears and placed in the ranks of the army of saints. They are not saints! They are church members with only the most elementary understanding of the Divine salvation, of the Kingdom of God. They are not at all prepared to assume the thrones that govern the creation and descend on the white war stallions in the attack upon Antichrist and the False Prophet.
They are feeding on candy, not the body and blood of Christ. They are being taught by ear-ticklers, not by men and women of God who are dying that their hearers might live.
Mankind will be judged at the second resurrection. The first resurrection is for the victorious saints. They will return with the Lord and take up their bodies from the ground. Then they, and the living remnant, will ascend to meet the Lord in the clouds. They will meet the Lord as He comes so He and they may descend and destroy all the works of the enemy.
We of today, because of our traditions, talk about the importance of going to Heaven when we die. Going to Heaven when we die is not the issue presented in the New Testament. The concern is what happens to us in the Day of the Lord. I think if you will read both the Old and New Testaments carefully you will find very little emphasis on going to Heaven when we die. Both Testaments deal with the Day of the Lord and the coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth.
Because we are approaching an age of moral horrors during which spiritual oppression will rest heavily on us we need to return to the Scriptures. Only then will we have the strength and wisdom to stand during the evil day.
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, And so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10,11)
(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:5,6)
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