Revelation chapter 20 is the study text for this series. Since there is so much symbolism in this chapter to define, we began with only one verse...and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years...verse 4. Together we have been searching the scriptures to find out what they tell us about this very important event - when it began, who participates, and when it will end.
And in 8 blogs we carefully outlined the answers. to: when did the first death occur and when did the first resurrection take place. Since I have new followers everyday, I urge you to go back and examine the evidence that will bring you up to date.
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection...over such the second death has no power...verse 6. We have already learned that human beings who have experienced the first resurrection have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior - they are born again. At this moment, they began to reign with Christ on the earth. This verse says these people are blessed and holy and the second death has no power over them. They will not experience the second death.
Job said...Your hands have made me and fashioned me...clothe me with skin and flesh...10:8-11. So when death comes to the physical body of a born again believer in Christ, he will simply throw off his earth clothes - the skin & flesh that anchors him to terra firma - and his spirit will soar effortlessly to the heavenly city where he will continue to reign with Christ. No second death will be experienced by him. What in the world is the second death?
Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire....this is the second death...and anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire...verse 14. On Judgment Day all human beings who lived on the earth will appear before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne judgment. This includes human beings who rejected the blood sacrifice for their sins under the Law of the Old Testament - and - the blood of Jesus Christ of the New Testament.
Those who rejected God and His blood sacrifice for their sins, are waiting in Hades for the end of the world when Jesus returns. Now they are standing before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne judgment. How do we know this?
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away...Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them...and they were judged according to his works...verse 11-13. People from generations past, who rejected God's plan of redemption, were delivered to Hades until the end of the world. These are the people described in verse 5...the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.
When are the thousand years finished? The thousand year reign with Christ on the earth will be finished when no human being is left to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. At this time this prophecy will be fulfilled - finished - ushering in the return of Jesus Christ, who will gather together all of His saints and bring them to the Great White Throne judgment. Also at this time the rest of the dead will appear at His throne - those abiding in Hades.
Let's recap. All human beings born on the earth will experience the first death. How do I know? Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned...Rom. 5:12. How can men be redeemed from death - the first death and live again? But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ...by grace you have been saved...Eph. 2:5.
The blood of Jesus Christ redeemed us from the penalty of the first death. Only those who repent of their sins and accept the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins, will be acquitted from the penalty of the first death. God always gives men a choice - he never forces anyone to accept Him - He offers them the free gift of salvation.
What is the penalty for the first death? The second death is the penalty for the first death.
The rest of the dead have not been acquitted from the penalty of the first death. Their names will not be found in the Book of Life at the Great White Throne judgment. Because of this, all human beings abiding in Death and Hades...were cast into the lake of fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death, where men...will be tormented day and night forever and ever...verse 10.
Why were Death and Hades cast into the Lake of Fire? The first heaven and the first earth and all the evil related to its existence have passed away, so there is no further need for Death and Hades - they fulfilled their purpose and are now done away with.
Are you curious about what happens to the people who are still standing at the Great White Throne judgment - the born again believer? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
...but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished...Rev. 20:5. In blog #6 we defined "the rest of the dead" as human beings who rejected God, and Jesus Christ - His plan of salvation and reconciliation - while they lived on the earth. They are waiting in Hades - place of the dead - where they are tormented in this flame according the words of Jesus in Luke 16:19-31. When Jesus Christ returns to gather together His saints, all human beings who ever lived on the earth will appear before the Great White Throne of Judgment, including "rest of the dead." How do I know?
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away...and there was found no place for them...and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened...and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life...and the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books...the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them...and they were judged, each according to his works...Rev. 20:11-13.
Wow...there is a lot to unpack in this reference, which will obviously take a few blogs to accomplish in order to do justice to the message depicted in this beautiful scene. But to find the answer of our question, we know that the earth and its heaven are destroyed at the return of Jesus Christ...from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away...and there was found no place for them. Are the "rest of the dead" seen in this reference?
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them...and they were judged, each according to his works...verse 13. Now we see clearly that the "rest of the dead" who had been residing in Hades, now are standing before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment - Hades delivered up the dead. This event is commonly referred to as Judgment Day.
We have already established that the "rest of the dead" have been waiting in Hades - tormented in flames. When Jesus Christ returns...the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat...both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up...II Pet. 3:10.
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished...Rev. 20:5. In this series we have discovered who are the "rest of the dead" and where they are now. But they won't "live again" - appear before the Great White Throne Judgment to have their works judged - until the thousand years were finished. What does this mean?
This means that the rest of the dead will not appear before the Great White Throne of Judgment until the reign with Christ on the earth is finished. When does this take place? While we don't know the date, in blog #6 we explained what triggers the thousand year reign with Christ on the earth to end. It ends the moment the last person on the earth, who desires to do so, accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior - only God will have this knowledge. Just as in the days of Noah - the last person to enter the ark triggered the end of that society. Jesus said that His return would be "as in the days of Noah."
Even though the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth ends - finished - with the earth and its heaven burning up, the reign of Christ spiritually will never end - never is finished. When Jesus died and rose again from the dead the Kingdom of Heaven was once again offered to mankind - the reign of Christ on the earth began. To become part of that Kingdom of Heaven men will need to repent of their sins and accept the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment for their sins.
Once they become born again they will begin to reign with Christ on the earth. When there is no human being left on the earth that desires to accept Jesus as his Savior, the purpose for reigning with Christ on the earth will be finished - prophecy fulfilled. The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. What happens next?
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years...Rev. 20: 6. This verse confirms that those who are part of the first resurrection - those who are born again while they live on the earth - shall be priests of God & Christ and reign with Him a thousand years...Rev. 5:10. But the warning in the middle sentence of this verse, which I left out, explains why a human being would never want to be part of the "rest of the dead." What is the middle sentence and what is its warning?
The middle sentence of Rev. 20:6 is...over such the second death has no power. If a human being is part of the first resurrection - born again - the second death will have no power over him. The "rest of the dead" rejected God and Jesus Christ, while they lived on the earth, so they were not part of the first resurrection - they were not born again while they lived on the earth. They will experience the second death. This is the warning - don't become subject to the second death.
So what in the world is the second death? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
So far in this series we have scripturally established the outset of the first death, the first resurrection, when the thousand year reign with Christ on the earth begins, and how His reign on the earth will end. We don't know when - we only know how. We began this series in Revelation chapter 20 and there is much more esoteric imagery and metaphorical language for us to delve into before we can understand the full message that Jesus Christ imparted to John.
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years...but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished...this is the first resurrection...Rev. 20:4-5.
These two verses reveal the first resurrection of the saints of God on the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and presented them to His Father in Heaven - the firstfruits of His resurrection...Rev. 14:1-5. It also reveals to the followers of Christ what they will experience in Heaven after they die on the earth for their allegiance to Him, as well as their reward for their faithfulness...this is the first resurrection.
One sentence in this verse needs further clarification. What is that sentence? But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. Don't you love a good riddle - especially one that can be solved? We already know who lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years - it is those who endured suffering in the world for His sake - and they began their reign with Him the day they became born again.
We know by our study text that the followers of Christ, those who died on the earth, will arrive in Heaven - but who are the rest of the dead who lived not until the thousand years were finished?" The rest of the dead are people who did not accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They rejected His plan of salvation. Apparently they did not believe Him when He said...I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me...John 14:6.
If the rest of the dead were not in Heaven, where were they? Do you remember the illustration that Jesus gave us about Hades? We find His story in Luke 16:19-31. Jesus was telling his followers about a certain rich man who had lived sumptuously his whole earthly life, then died. Then He described the life of a beggar who had fared poorly his whole earthly life, then died. Both were found in Hades - region of departed spirits.
Jesus said that the departed spirit of the beggar Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham's Bosom to be comforted until the time of resurrection. The departed spirit of the rich man saw Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom and said...Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame...verse 24.
Before Jesus died and rose from the grave, those who died on the earth were transported to Hades - place of departed spirits. When the rich man asked for Lazarus to come relieve his torment, Abraham said to him...Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and you are tormented, and besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.
We can see clearly that there are two distinct places for departed spirits to reside prior to the day Jesus rose from the grave. One was a place of comfort - the other was a place of torment.
We have answered our two questions: who are the rest of the dead and where are they? Our reference also confirms that although the rich man and Lazarus are human beings who died on the earth, their spirits live on forever. When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, all people residing in Abraham's Bosom were resurrected and taken to Heaven, as firstfruits of His salvation. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
If the rest of the dead were not resurrected along with the departed spirits in Abraham's Bosom the day Jesus rose from the grave, what happened to them? Are they still in Hades? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
When we have heard one end-time doctrine our whole Christian life, it is very hard to let scripture lead us on a different course. My inquisitive nature couldn't brush aside the many questions that surfaced for me - pieces of the puzzle just wouldn't fit. When we decide to let scripture change our mind rather than us making scripture fit our doctrine, truth and understanding appear. By defining the riddles, esoteric imagery and metaphorical language of prophecy of scripture the message within the symbolism emerges - no interpretation needed.
In the previous 5 blogs we have carefully provided scriptural evidence as to when the Thousand Year Reign with Christ on the earth begins. The last time we were together I asked, "What did Jesus mean when He said...and as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man? Let's see where scripture takes us for this answer.
So the Lord said...I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them...Gen. 6:7. By the time God made this declaration, He had endured violence, corruption, immorality and idolatry from His creation for centuries. Since that fateful day in the Garden of Eden, men followed after the tempter - Satan - who became their god - god of this world.
The lure of a glitzy, carefree, lawless world is irresistible, so Noah's society partied hardy and spent no time seeking God, or desiring to know Him. Nonetheless, God in His mercy would still give these people 120 years to repent, before they would face the consequence of their lawlessness. And the Lord said...My spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years...Gen. 6:3.
Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations...Noah walked with God...Gen. 6:9. God found one man whose allegiance to Him was sure. God said to Noah...the end of all flesh has come before Me for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold I will destroy them with the earth...Gen. 6:13. God was giving mankind 120 more years to repent before He would no longer strive with them - no longer battle with them before they are judged.
Noah's society knew clearly there was a set time to get their act together, before dire consequences would befall them. God told Noah...Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make the rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch...Gen. 6:14. God gave him further instructions for building the ark and how to prepare for the flood that would be coming when his work was completed...Gen. 6:15-22 and Gen. 7:1-24.
Can you imagine the mocking and humiliation that Noah endured in 120 years for building a craft for the water when there was no seaport? They must have laughed and jeered that he was a fool, all the while, he was preaching for them to repent for the end of their world was coming via a massive worldwide flood. So God warned all people living on the earth at that time for He wants none to perish. If they perish it would their choice - not His. All He asked was for them to surrender their allegiance to Him - renounce the pagan gods - and He would save them from the judgment.
Then the Lord said to Noah...come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation...Gen. 7:1. After the 120-year building program was finished, and all the animals were on board, God invited Noah and his family to enter the ark, a safe place from His judgment against immorality and paganism. Sadly, only 8 people surrendered their allegiance to God and accepted His invitation to enter the ark of safety.
Once Noah, and his entourage were on the ark of safety...the Lord shut him in...Gen. 7:16. The rains came and flooded the whole earth...He destroyed all living things...only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive...Gen. 7:23. Remember, the warning from God that everything on the earth would be destroyed went out to all human beings in Noah's society - yet only 8 people repented, surrendered their allegiance to God, and were saved from the destruction.
They thought that the preaching of Noah was the babbling of a madman. Do you ever wonder what they thought after the flood waters began to rise, their cities disappeared, and the door of the ark was closed? Horrifying to me!
What was the trigger for God to shut the door of the ark and end Noah's society? It was the last person to walk onto the ark who surrendered their allegiance to God - the last one to accept His covenant. Now that we know what triggered the end of Noah's society, how does this parallel the end of the thousand year reign with Christ on the earth?
Remember...as in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man. Studying about the days of Noah reveals how society will be functioning just before the return of Jesus Christ. But, it also reveals something else. By Noah's example, we know that the last human being to surrender his allegiance to God - last person to accept Jesus Christ as His Savior - will trigger the return of Jesus Christ - ending His thousand year reign on the earth. The saints will reign with Him in Heaven.
At His return...the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up...II Pet. 3:10 - just as in the days of Noah. Did you know that God told Adam that the earth would be destroyed twice - once by flood, the other by fire - according to the historian Josephus?
We began this series with Revelation chapter 20, but there is much more esoteric imagery to define and metaphorical language to translate, we must continue this study. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. What could this mean? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
