The First Resurrection is the raising of the faithful to life that precedes the millennial reign of Christ and stands in contrast to the second death.
In Revelation 20 those who have been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years.
Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection; over such the second death has no power.
This resurrection is the entrance of the redeemed into the fullness of life with Christ, while the rest of the dead do not come to life until the thousand years are ended.
John sees thrones, and seated on them are those to whom authority to judge is committed. He also sees the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Over those who share in it the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with Him for a thousand years. The first resurrection is therefore the raising of the faithful — especially those who have suffered for Christ — into the life and reign of the Messiah. It is the opposite of the second death, which is the lake of fire. Scripture elsewhere speaks of the resurrection of the righteous and the resurrection of life, distinguishing it from the resurrection of judgment. The first resurrection is the believer’s full participation in the victory and life of the risen Christ.
- The first resurrection is the raising of the faithful to life and reign with Christ.
- Those who share in it are called blessed and holy; the second death has no power over them.
- It stands in clear contrast to the fate of the rest of the dead and to the second death.
- The first resurrection includes those who have been faithful unto death for the testimony of Jesus.
- Believers are already spiritually raised with Christ; the first resurrection is the full, bodily realization of that life.
- The first resurrection precedes the final judgment of the unrighteous.
- Participation in the first resurrection is the hope and security of all who belong to Christ.
- Raising of the Faithful – Those who have held to the testimony of Jesus and refused the mark of the beast come to life.
- Reign with Christ – They live and reign with Him for a thousand years as priests of God and of Christ.
- Blessed and Holy – Scripture pronounces a special blessing on those who share in the first resurrection.
- Immunity from the Second Death – The second death (the lake of fire) has no power over them.
- Contrast with the Rest of the Dead – The rest of the dead do not come to life until the thousand years are ended.
- Fulfillment of Union with Christ – The full realization of having already been raised with Christ spiritually.
- Hope of the Church – The confident expectation of all who overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.
- Revelation 20:4-6 – “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”
- Revelation 20:11-15 – The great white throne judgment; the dead are judged; if anyone’s name is not found written in the book of life, he is thrown into the lake of fire — the second death.
- John 5:28-29 – “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 – “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep… For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
- Philippians 3:10-11 – “…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
- Luke 14:14 – “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
- Luke 20:35-36 – “But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.”
- Romans 6:5 – “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
- Ephesians 2:5-6 – “…even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ… and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
- Colossians 3:1-4 – “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above… When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
- Daniel 12:2 – “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
- Revelation 2:11 – “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”
- Revelation 21:7-8 – “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless… their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:52-54 – “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed… Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power. The first resurrection is the full entrance of the redeemed into the life and reign of Christ. Those who have been faithful — even unto death — come to life and reign with Him. The rest of the dead wait for a different day and a different end. Already believers have been raised with Christ spiritually; the first resurrection is the bodily completion of that union. Therefore live as those who will share in the first resurrection. Hold fast the testimony of Jesus. Refuse the mark of the beast. Overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. The second death has no claim on those who belong to Christ. The first resurrection is certain, and the reign with Him is forever.
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