Alternative interpretation of the first resurrection

Alternative interpretation of the first resurrection

Alternative interpretation

The resurrected at the first resurrection are probably some tribulation martyrs.

(Revelation of John 20:4-6 [KJV])
 [4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment 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 upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
 [5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
 [6] 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.

It seems that some Christians will rule during the millennium with Christ. Its possible that these that are going to rule with Christ are tribulation martyrs.

The white throne judgement is a 1000 years after Jesus second coming. The white throne judgement is when the rapture happens.

Basically I Thessalonians 4:15-18 is the white throne judgement.

(I Thessalonians 4:15-18 [KJV])
 [15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
 [16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
 [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
 [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

We meet the Lord in the air. Its because the earth and the heaven has fled away.

(Revelation of John 20:11 [KJV]) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Zechariah 12:10 is the sign of the son of man. Its when the believers receive their redeemed bodies. They are never raptured up to heaven at this event. They receive it while they are here on earth, seeing Jesus in the sky. Also there is a corporate giving of the holy ghost to people around Jerusalem or ethnic Jews at this time.

(Zechariah 12:1-10 [KJV])
 [1] The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
 [2] Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
 [3] And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
 [4] In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
 [5] And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.
 [6] In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.
 [7] The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.
 [8] In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
 [9] And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
 [10] And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

1. Some explaination to Zecharia 12 above.
   1. Verse 6, the governors might be the two witnesses.
   2. Verse 8, this is when the believers receive their redeemed body. That is the believers receive an immortal body while being here on earth, looking at the son of man in the sky.
   3. Verse 10, this is a corporate giving of the holy ghost to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It happens when they look at Jesus in the sky, that is the sign of the son of man.

Comment

The fact that the rapture is at the white throne judgement does not mean necessarily that all Christians (who died before the millenium started) will not be judged at the first resurrection.

(Revelation of John 20:4-6 [KJV])
 [4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment 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 upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
 [5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
 [6] 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.

So these people who would then be Christians in the first resurrection that are not tribulation martyrs but still judged in the first resurrection would then be represented by the first part of Rev 20:4. Basically these would be all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who had died and gone to heaven but are not tribulation martyrs.

So its possible that the first resurrection is the resurrection for all believers and that this is when they receive their reward.

So its possible that this is not just for the tribulation martyrs.

The big mistake people make is being fed church doctrine of the rapture and then not being able to see the possibility that the rapture can be at the white throne judgement and it still doesn't break scripture.

Basically believers can still be resurrected at the first resurrection because they have died and gone to heaven. So people can be resurrected at the first resurrection without having been raptured. The rapture is at the white throne judgement.

See also

• Time gap end times
• Postmillenial rapture
• Signe of the Sonne of man
• Dry bones
• Gospel from Israel
• The Rapture

Acknowledgement

Thanks to Moshe for some of the ideas to this article.