THE ACCURACY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOW OF EVENTS LEADS TO ESTABLISHING A GENERAL TIME
An Examination of Revelation 20:5
The event called the second resurrection is accepted by most all believers as a future event. With some the issue that is disputed is the time it happens. Some assign the second resurrection to be at the return of Jesus and all of unconverted humanity raised then. There is only one scripture that places the time after the 1000 years, Revelation 20:5 , however those who place the second resurrection at the return say this scripture is not biblical, not inspired and was added by the Catholic Church in order to defend their claim that the Catholic Church was the millennium on Earth.
I have searched the internet to find the oldest translations of the New Testament concerning Revelation 20:5 . This was not an easy task. Of the well know oldest and most widely used translations I found only one, the Codex Sinaiticus , that used only the words, “this is the first resurrection” and eliminate the first part of verse 5 completely, Revelation 20:5 . In one translation, the Peshitta by George Lamsa, the words, “and the rest of the dead did not live again until the 1000 years were finished,” are in verse 4 . The Textus Receptus also has the complete text of Revelation 20:5 as well as the Vulgate. I have have also spoken to Anthony Buzzard about this issue and he is confident that all of Revelation 20:5 is genuine. When considering prophecy the time of events is mostly never definite and is very vague. We must rely on the accuracy of the flow of events to even have some sense of timing. When Jesus spoke of his return he only mentions the saints or elect as being resurrected this is also true of the prophets and Apostles. The main focus of the scriptures is on the first resurrection with fewer verses about the second. It says, the dead in Christ rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 , nothing about the unconverted dead. The unrighteous unconverted will not inherit the kingdom of God but are ruled over by those who are in the kingdom . The throne of Christs glory, the great white throne, is for the one who will judge humanity and all judgment will be Christs . John 5:22. The church is judged now to be worthy of the kingdom. 1 Peter 4:17. We know that many will die at the return of Jesus, Isaiah 66:16, Jeremiah 25:31 , this event obviously has never happened and is future. When you look at events rather than try to establish a time it is possible to get a proper flow of those events with the testimony of Christ, the Prophets and Apostles. The great tribulation is to be a worldwide event with a death toll so high that if Jesus did not return early no human would be left alive. Matthew 24:22
What is the reward of the saints ? Is it not being raised from the dead to everlasting life at the return of Jesus ? Psalm 37:34 , compare to , Isaiah 3:11, Hebrews 11:6 , Proverbs 11:31 , 1 Peter 4:8 , John 3:36 Matthew 25:46 , John 5:24 , Isaiah 26:14 , Matthew 12:36 the saints are judged now but all others on the day of judgement, at the white throne. The wicked do not receive the reward of the righteous. Luke 18:7 The reward of the saints is the first resurrection. None of the unconverted are mentioned in conjunction with the saints in the first resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:20 -23. At the return of Jesus those who are resurrected must be in Christ, the unconverted were never in Christ . I hope you see how events and the description of them regarding the saints is different from the unconverted and without mentioning a time. 1 Corinthians 6:14 , John 6:39 John 5:29 gives more clarity to the purpose of the two resurrections as one is to life, the first, the second is to judgment. The judgment refers to the great white throne judgment the occurs after the millennium. Revelation 20:7,11 .
If the second resurrection occurs at the second advent then the scriptures should reveal that. Every scripture referring to the resurrection at the second advent only mentions the elect saints, never including the unconverted. John 6:39 , it will be those who are the dead in Christ only that are resurrected at the second advent. However, John 5:28-29 , all who are in their graves , Acts 24:15 notice it says “a” resurrection. This would seem to indicate the just and the unjust , the just first then the unjust second, will both be raised at the second advent but with some space of time between them but not 1000 years , however that length of time is not known. It cannot be said that both the just and unjust are resurrected at the same time because there would not be two resurrections but only one. Then the millennium begins lasting 1000 years. At the end of the 1000 years is the great white throne judgement where all those humans in the millennium will face the formerly imprisoned Satan to be tested. Those who pass the test live and those who do not experience the second death. People in the millennium live to be 100 years old. Some think that everyone in the millennium lives until it’s end meaning some would be 1000 years old , a contradiction of Isaiah 65:20 , Isaiah 65:20 YLT , the Peshitta is records 100 years as does the Lamsa , the Interlinear and the Septuagint. This means that during that 1000 years many would live well beyond 100, but Isaiah says they die at 100.
This
is problematic because no one is resurrected twice for the purpose of salvation. There are only two resurrections mentioned in scripture. Isaiah 11:6-9 describes conditions existing during the millennium as does Isaiah 65:17-25 . The 1000 years would be ten generations of 100 years each of people who were already resurrected once.
The sinner being cursed in Isaiah 65:20 would seem to me to
indicate that these sinners have committed the unpardonable sin and it is my understanding that those who commit this sin are not resurrected because the sacrifice of Christ is not available. Hebrews 10:26 In the codex Sinaiticus verse 5 does not say about the rest of the dead being raised after the 1000 years, however by careful examination of Revelation 20:4 describes the type of people who are in the first resurrection and eliminates all who had received and cooperated with the beast. Only these faithful “came to life” for the 1000 years the evil people did not “come to life” until after the 1000 years and appear at the white throne. Now Revelation 20:3,7 say Satan must be released to deceive again after the 1000 years. The question arises, who will he deceive if all of humanity was raised at the return of Jesus. Isaiah says, Isaiah 2:2-4 that during the millennium there is no war and no devil. Now we see that Gog and Magog have prepared for war. Revelation 20:8 Now this may be evidence to support Revelation 20:5 is correct in it entirety .
1. There is war and the devil after the millennium.
2. If all are raised in the second advent then who will the devil deceive after the millennium ?
3, The life span of those in the millennium is 100 years. If these people were resurrected at the return of Jesus then only live 100 years during the millennium the they would have to be resurrected a second time which is not biblical.
I confess that I never had to prove Revelation 20:5 but I believe the result of my study confirms the accuracy of the verse , wether verse 5 is present or not, when the events, flow and description of them, are carefully examined. This also shows it does not matter if different translations contain it or not, the message of its accuracy is found by asking; who, what, when, where how and why , then conducting a diligent search to answer them.
I do not believe that an error concerning this issue is any threat at all to our salvation. Deuteronomy 29:29 , Acts 1:7 So then, if God does not reveal a thing to us how can we be held responsible for not knowing ? What we need to do is put this matter on the back burner and move on to possibly be shown other marvelous things.
