Bible Question:
CDBJ, Thankyou, that's good information and helps clarify the passage, but I didn't see the answer to my question. The question again is, who are the dead who didn't come to life until the end of the 1,000 years? the "dead" who didn't come to life until the end of the 1,000 years? thanks, Chusarcik |
Bible Answer: I guess I misunderstood you Question. Here is an answer from the Revelation Commentary found on Sola Scriptura. Check it out at this address, www.solagroup.org 1. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed contrasts with the martyrs resurrected in Revelation 20:4. If in fact, only one group of believers is identified in Revelation 20:4, then one must conclude that only martyrs are resurrected. Revelation 3:18 declares that overcoming believers will sit with Christ on his throne. Therefore, Revelation 20:4 must refer to at least two groups. Whom then, does "the rest of the dead" refer to? The premillennialists would argue that "the rest of the dead" refers to unbelievers. The saints of the ages who died before the sixth seal are resurrected between seals six and seven and those beheaded after the Rapture are resurrected near, on the beginning of the 1000-year period. The general resurrection of the wicked occurs at the end of the 1000-year kingdom. The amillennialists must argue that "the rest of the dead" refers to the wicked and perhaps some righteous. However, this causes a major problem. If "come to life" is spiritual in Revelation 20:4, then it must be spiritual in Revelation 20:5. Problem: how do the wicked come to life in a spiritual sense? If "come to life" is spiritual in Revelation 20:4, how can the same verb refer to physical life in Revelation 20:5 without any textual clues to help the reader understand this change? Such "doings" are unnatural to the text! 2. This is the first resurrection, clarifies the significance of the resurrection of the beheaded faithful. Their resurrection is a part of a larger event that can correctly be described as "the first resurrection." Since only the beheaded dead are described as resurrected in Revelation 20:4, this must be a part of a greater whole. For the resurrection will include all the saints of all the ages. The only biblical solution is to recognize the explanation of the apostle Paul. 1 Corinthians 15:22-24 states, For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. Paul clearly delineates several groupings, all of which constitute "the first resurrection." Christ is described as the first fruits. Metaphorically, if Christ is the first fruits, then the rest of the harvest follows later. Paul is using the figure of speech taken from agriculture. Any farmer knows that a crop does not ripen all at once. Usually, a small portion ripen first, then the largest portion ripens and lastly a small portion ripens late. In keeping with Paul’s figure of speech, whether one is taken as the first fruits, the general harvest or the last of the harvest, all fruit would be considered part of the harvest. There is one harvest regardless of when the fruit is picked. The next gathering of ripened fruit (resurrection of the dead) will occur at the Lord’s coming (parousia). The apostle Paul describes it as a "snatching away" of the righteous living and dead. Paul indicates that this event will occur at the Lord’s coming (parousia) (1 Thess 4:16). Revelation 20:4 indicates a final group (the late harvest) will finish the harvest begun with the resurrection of Jesus. This harvest from Christ to the beheaded dead constitutes "the first resurrection." |