February 2: TWO DIFFERENT RESURRECTIONS
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Revelation 20:5
It is possible to become confused by the fact that these two sentences appear in the same verse. Here, the rest of the dead refers to all of those who will not be saved. Hopefully, it has been made clear that the Lord’s faithful who have died are raised to life when Jesus comes to take His people to Heaven. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians drops a big hint that there are two resurrections in God’s plan: And the dead in Christ shall rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16b). The little word first implies a second resurrection.
It is worth knowing that the original Greek text was written in block form. It did not contain any sort of paragraph breaks, verse numbers, or punctuation marks. The statement “But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished” is what we would now call a “parenthetical addition” to verse 4 that describes part of the activities of the saved in Heaven. It provides a contrast with the first resurrection.
There are other Scriptures that refer to the two different resurrections:
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear [My] voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. John 5:28-29
Two different resurrections indeed! But now we also learn a new fact: there is a one-thousand-year separation between them. Another confirmation that the second sentence in today’s verse refers to verse 4 (the verse we studied yesterday) is the pronouncement in verse 6:
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power…
The three surprises mentioned yesterday may help us to imagine the activities of the saved in Heaven during the millennial period, in addition to the wedding feast of the Lamb and an ongoing series of joyful reunions. There will be flawless records available for the saved to peer into as questions are raised and satisfied. In the words of Jesus, “For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:22-23) Regarding divine bookkeeping, the Word of God also teaches that repentant sinners who accept the Holy Spirit’s aid to overcome sinful ways are listed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Glory to God!
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19 (compare to Revelation 3:5)