Resurrection

The first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6)

POST OVERVIEW. An interpretation of the meaning of “the first resurrection” from Revelation 20:4-6 that occurs during the “thousand years.”

4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. – Revelation 20:4-6 (NAS)

The passage before us presents several interpretive difficulties, but we are going to focus our investigation on the meaning of “the first resurrection” as it appears here. What is the Scripture teaching us here about the resurrection?

INITIAL COMMENTS

As we begin our investigation, the first thing to observe is where this scene takes place. This scene is in heaven. In the book of Revelation, thrones (20:4) are always in heaven, so we know that this takes place in heaven. We also know when this takes place, since it is explicitly stated that this takes place during the “thousand years.”

It is important to observe who this vision sees. John saw “souls.” John did not see glorified saints, but he saw “souls.” This is very similar to the scene described in Revelation 6:9 when John also sees the “souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God.” These “souls” are believers who have physically died but who have not yet been glorified in the Resurrection. And this is exactly what we would expect to find during the “thousand years.” We would expect to find those who had died as faithful witnesses of Jesus and who now await the Resurrection on the Last Day.

EXEGESIS OF REVELATION 20:4-6 ON THE FIRST RESURRECTION

Now we will consider the part of the passage that talks about “the first resurrection.”

“And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” – Rev. 20:4

Who are these who came to life and reigned? There are two groups of believers included here, and one group is a subset of the other group. The first group, the subset, is “those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus.” These are the martyrs, the ones who had been faithful even unto violent death, “who have been slain because of the word of God” (Revelation 6:9). The martyrs are a subset of all faithful believers, “those who had not worshiped the beast or his image (Revelation 13) and had not received the mark” (20:4).

Therefore, those who came to life and reigned with Christ for the “thousand years” are all faithful believers who physically died during the “thousand years.”

The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. – Revelation 20:5a

This first sentence in Revelation 20:5 should be seen as parenthetical. “The rest of the dead” is referring to all unbelievers who physically died during the “thousand years.” This parenthetical comment about unbelievers makes abundantly clear that not everyone is included in those who came to life. This simple sentence declares that only those who die in Jesus are going to be reigning with Christ during the “thousand years.” Only faithful believers will “come to life.” Only faithful believers are in heaven with Christ awaiting the glorious Resurrection. “The rest of the dead” are elsewhere awaiting the terrifying great white throne judgment that comes later (Revelation 20:11-15).

This is the first resurrection. – Revelation 20:5b

THE FIRST RESURRECTION

Here John mentions “the first resurrection.” Some have been unnecessarily confused and distressed by this expression. John is certainly not here introducing the idea of some sort of two-stage resurrection. There is no biblical support anywhere in the Scripture to suggest that there are two literal Resurrections for the saints. This term “the first resurrection” is meant to be understood figuratively to describe the transition that occurs when any believer physically dies and then “rises” to spend the remainder of the age in the spirit in heaven with Christ awaiting the final, real Resurrection.

What do we know about everyone “who has a part in the first resurrection?” We know that the one who has a part in the first resurrection is “blessed and holy.” We know that “over these the second death has no power,” so we know that they will never be threatened with the lake of fire. We know that all these “will be priests of God and of Christ” (confirm in 1 Peter 2:9). Finally, we know that they will reign with Christ for the “thousand years.”

But not all believers will experience this first resurrection. Some believers will not reign with Christ for the “thousand years.” Why? Because the first resurrection is only for those believers who physically die before the coming of Christ, and not all believers will physically die. We know that “we will not all sleep” (1 Corinthians 15:51). We know that there will be some believers “who are alive and remain” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) when the Resurrection occurs. We know that the Resurrection is for those who have fallen asleep, and it is for those who are still living. These still-living believers will not experience the first resurrection because they will be glorified in the Resurrection without going through physical death.

So, not all believers will experience “the first resurrection,” but all believers will certainly experience the Resurrection on the Last Day.

WHAT ABOUT THE UNRIGHTEOUS?

In commenting about the unrighteous from this passage, the ones referred to as “the rest of the dead” in 20:5a, it should be understood that none of the unrighteous has a part in “the first resurrection.” For this reason, none of the unrighteous “came to life and reigned with Christ for the thousand years.” None of the unrighteous is “blessed and holy.” Over the unrighteous “the second death” has all power, because all the unrighteous will experience both physical death and “the second death.” (For a fuller understanding of “the second death,” see “The great white throne judgment” in Rev. 20:11-15.)

Perhaps these statements will help make things clearer:

  • If anyone experiences the first resurrection, then he will not experience the second death.
  • If you are a believer, then you are guaranteed the Resurrection on the Last Day.
  • If you are a believer, then physical death (the first death) is optional.
  • If you are an unbeliever, then you are guaranteed both physical death (the first death) and the lake of fire, which is the second death (Revelation 20:14-15).

CONCLUSION

In summary, then, “the first resurrection” of Revelation 20:4-6 is a figurative term for the transition that takes place when any believer physically dies and their soul goes to heaven to await their glorification in the Resurrection on the Last Day.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 5/16/2023                   #651

Resurrection lessons from 1 Corinthians 15 (Part 3)

POST OVERVIEW. The third of a three-part study of 1 Corinthians 15, the great chapter on the Resurrection of the righteous that will occur on the last day. (See Post #648, 5/8/2023 and #649, 5/11/2023, for the first two parts of this study.) The objective of this series of posts is to give the Bible student a firm grasp of the doctrine of the Resurrection.

The previous post in this series (#649, 5/11/2023) finished with the “problem” presented by Paul at the end of 15:50; namely, that no believer in Christ who has a natural, earthly body, whether alive or dead, can inherit the kingdom of God. How, then, does a believer inherit the kingdom of God?

15:51. The solution to the problem is that, in the Resurrection, all believers will receive a glorified body that can inherit the kingdom of heaven.

PAUL’S “MYSTERY” OF THE RESURRECTION

KEY CONCEPT. In this verse, Paul “tells us a mystery.” In the New Testament, a “mystery” is an event or a detail that is currently unknown but that is certain to be revealed in the future. So here, the mystery that is yet to be revealed will explain what happens to those who are still alive when the Resurrection occurs.

THE DEAD ARE RAISED

Here is what I mean. Up to this point in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul has only been talking about believers who are dead in Christ when the Resurrection occurs (e.g., 15:42). We also note that the Bible’s supreme example of resurrection, the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead, was obviously a raising from the dead. Thus, by the undeniable fact of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead as “first fruits” (15:23), we can understand how the dead in Christ would likewise be raised from the dead at the final Resurrection. As Jesus was raised from the dead with a glorified body, so the dead in Christ will also be raised from the dead with glorified bodies. We can readily grasp this analogy.

It is also interesting that other prominent biblical pictures of the Resurrection are pictures of saints who are raised from the dead. In Isaiah 26:19, we see a picture of the Resurrection as “Your dead will live, their corpses will rise.” Isaiah gives us a picture of the dead being raised. In Ezekiel 37, the prophet is “in the middle of a valley and it was full of bones. Behold, there were very many bones on the surface of the ground, and very dry” (37:2). But then the Lord GOD says, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves” (37:12). This is obviously a vision of God raising His people from the dead. When Jesus speaks of the Resurrection in the gospel of John (5:28-29), He says, “An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice (the Son of Man), and (all) will come forth.” Jesus is speaking about the dead being raised in the Resurrection. All these are pictures of those who are dead in Christ being raised from the dead on the last day.

But what about those who are still alive when the Resurrection occurs? We have no solid example from Scripture or analogy from nature that pictures this. How can those “who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:15) be raised from the dead in the Resurrection? It doesn’t seem to make sense. And so this is the “mystery” that Paul is going to discuss. To repeat the question from above, “What happens to those who are still alive when the Resurrection occurs?”

To answer this question, two things are required. First, we must remember the biblical definition of Resurrection. As we have already seen, it is common for believers to mistakenly think of resurrection only in terms of “being raised from the dead” because Jesus was raised from the dead in His resurrection (see above), but the biblical definition of Resurrection is “the receiving of our glorified bodies.” Being glorified is the primary event of the Resurrection, and both those who are dead in Christ and those who are alive are guaranteed to receive their “spiritual body” (15:44). So first, remember what you have already learned.

But second, we must read our Bible carefully and thoughtfully to understand what Paul is teaching. Paul has told us he is going to be teaching us about a mystery. Therefore, our attitude in reading these verses is to understand exactly what the apostle is telling us about the resurrection of those in Christ who are alive on the last day. Except for what is revealed to us in the Scriptures, we are wholly ignorant of this subject. We are “strangers on the earth” (Psalm 119:19), therefore we come to the Scriptures humbly to gain knowledge and understanding. What, then, does Paul teach us here about those who are alive at the Resurrection?

 Paul announces the mystery: “we will not all sleep,” which simply means that not all believers will physically die before they are resurrected. Some believers will sleep, but some will be physically alive at the Resurrection. (see 1 Thess. 4:15-17). But all believers, whether asleep or alive, will receive a glorified body because “we will all be changed.”

15:52. Paul gives a number of details of the Resurrection in this verse.

The Resurrection (“the change”) will be instantaneous, for it will happen “in the twinkling of an eye.”

The Resurrection will occur when the last trumpet sounds (see “trumpet” in Isa. 27:13, “in that day;” Matt. 24:31; 1 Thess. 4:16). 

“The dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” The dead in Christ (the “perishable”) are raised with glorified (“imperishable”) bodies, and those who are alive (“flesh and blood,” 15:50) are instantly glorified (“changed”). (This latter occurrence is the mystery.)

Note that this description of the Resurrection is in perfect agreement with what Paul writes in 1 Thess. 4:16-17. The dead in Christ are raised and glorified and those who are alive in Christ are changed and glorified. (See also Isaiah 26:19; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2.)

It is also important to note that, although Paul does not mention Christ’s coming (παρουσία) in this passage, the Scriptures make plain that the Resurrection occurs simultaneously with Jesus’ coming. From the lips of Jesus Himself, we also know that these events of the Resurrection occur on the last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54).

15:53. We know that “this perishable” refers to those who are dead in Christ (15:42, 52). What must occur for them? “This perishable must put on the imperishable.” The “imperishable” refers to the glorified body (15:42). The dead in Christ must put on their glorified bodies.

The Greek word for “must” is δεῖ, which can be translated “is (absolutely) necessary,” “is inevitable,” or “must.” What is being communicated here is that the only way that “the perishable” (those who are dead in Christ) can inherit the kingdom of God (see 15:50) is for them to “put on the imperishable.” For them to be fit for eternity in heaven, the dead in Christ must receive their glorified body. There is no other way.

Likewise, “this mortal must put on immortality.” “Mortal” here refers to those who are still subject to death, which is those who are still alive. The only way that “the mortal” can inherit the kingdom of God (see 15:50) is for them to “put on immortality.” For them to be fit for eternity in heaven, they must receive their glorified body. There is no other way.

15:54. When all the dead in Christ are raised in their imperishable glorified bodies, and when all those who are alive in Christ have been quickly changed into their immortal glorified bodies, then death will have been swallowed up in victory. All “those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor 15:23) will have donned their eternal glorified bodies and death will have been forever defeated.

SUMMARY

We should take a moment after this study to summarize what we have learned, for we have received strong teaching about the doctrine of the Resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15.

  • The Resurrection of all the righteous will occur on the last day (15:23-24).
  • The Resurrection occurs at the same time that the Lord Jesus descends from heaven. So it includes all “those who are Christ’s at His coming” (15:23).
  • The Resurrection speaks primarily about the event when those who are in Christ receive their glorified bodies.
  • All those who are in Christ are guaranteed to receive a glorified body at the Resurrection (15:44, 49).
  • The Resurrection will include the glorification of all the “dead in Christ” and all those who are “alive and remain.”
  • The Resurrection will be instantaneous (15:52).
  • The Resurrection will occur at the sounding of the last trumpet (15:52).

Finally, it is important to remember that, although we have discovered these doctrinal truths by carefully studying 1 Corinthians 15, the truths we have discovered are universal truths. That is, the doctrinal truths about the Resurrection discovered in 1 Corinthians 15 are true for the Resurrection wherever it is mentioned in the Bible. So there is not the doctrine of the Resurrection according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 and a different set of doctrines in Isaiah or in the gospel of John or in 1 Thessalonians. The events of the Resurrection as described in 1 Corinthians 15 must agree with the events surrounding the Resurrection in the other passages in Scripture because the Holy Spirit is the author of all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) and He does not contradict Himself. Other Scriptural passages about the Resurrection may add new details or may present the truths with other word pictures, but other Scripture cannot present a different Resurrection. An interpretation of the Resurrection that conflicts with the one taught in 1 Corinthians 15 should be replaced with the one taught in the Scriptures.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 5/15/2023                   #650

Resurrection lessons from 1 Corinthians 15 (Part 2)

POST OVERVIEW. The second of a three-part study of 1 Corinthians 15, the great chapter on the Resurrection of the righteous that will occur on the last day. (See Post #648, 5/8/2023, for the first part of this study.) The objective of this series of posts is to give the Bible student a firm grasp of the doctrine of the Resurrection.

In the first part of this study of 1 Corinthians 15 (post #648, 5/8/2023), we had established some basic understandings of the Resurrection. First, when we use the word “Resurrection,” we are referring to the general resurrection of all the righteous that will occur on the last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24) at the same time that the Lord Jesus descends from heaven with a shout (1 Thess. 4:16). Also, although there are several events that occur in the Resurrection, the primary and defining event is that all the righteous of all time will receive their eternal glorified bodies.

We were in the process of examining the meaning of 1 Cor. 15:42-44, and now we continue that examination by looking at 15:44. In this section, Paul is comparing the physical body that we are given for our earthly life with the heavenly body that we will be given in the Resurrection, particularly in relation to the physical body when it has died. Paul uses the word picture of a seed that is sown into the ground to describe our physical body when it is finally “sown” into the grave.

44 it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

15:44. At our death, our natural body is sown into the ground, having lost all its usefulness. All the parts of the body are there, but there is a complete absence of life. The purpose of the natural body was to carry us and be our servant from birth to death, but now that death has come, the purpose of our natural body has gone and thus it is thrown into the ground.

But the resurrection body, our “spiritual” body, is not like that. We will be raised with a spiritual body that is completely unlike the natural body that went into the grave. Our spiritual body will be useful to us throughout all of eternity. The purpose of this spiritual body is to allow us to serve and worship the King of kings in sinless joy forever, and that purpose will never change or become obsolete.

And Paul punctuates this verse with a promise, that if the believer in Jesus had a natural body, then there will certainly be for that believer a spiritual body. In other words, every believer is promised a glorified spiritual body that will allow them “to stand before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes (indicating that our glorified bodies will be clothed in heaven), and palm branches in their hands, crying out with a loud voice, saying ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’” (Rev. 7:9-10).

This amazing chapter culminates in 15:50-54 with more teaching about the Resurrection as the apostle tells us about the actual event itself. The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is evident in this passage as we see that this description of the Resurrection is in complete agreement with other Scriptures about this event.

50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.

In this five-verse theological masterpiece, we will see that, in each verse in this passage, Paul addresses both those who are asleep (“the dead in Christ”) and “those who are alive and remain until the coming (παρουσία) of the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:15). This is significant because it tells us that all those who are in Christ at the Lord’s return will be resurrected to receive their glorified bodies.  

EXEGETICAL NOTE: Paul consistently uses the words “perishable” and “imperishable” to refer to those who are dead in Christ at the Resurrection. Since this is the case, we can use “dead in Christ” and “perishable” interchangeably.

15:50. Paul says that those who have “flesh-and-blood” bodies at the Resurrection are completely unprepared for eternal life in the kingdom of God. In other words, those who are physically alive in Christ “cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” But Paul adds that “the perishable,” those who are physically dead in Christ (15:42), also “cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” Paul has thus presented a problem; namely, that no believer in Christ who has a natural, earthly, physical body, whether alive or dead, can inherit the kingdom of God. What is the solution to this problem?  

We will explore the answer to this question in the next post in this series, and we will also solve Paul’s “mystery” from 1 Corinthians 15:51. Go to Post #650 for more teaching on the Resurrection.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 5/11/2023                   #649

Resurrection lessons from 1 Corinthians 15 (Part 1)

POST OVERVIEW. The first of a two-part study of 1 Corinthians 15, the great chapter on the Resurrection of the righteous that will occur on the last day.

The apostle Paul expresses some of his clearest doctrinal teaching about the Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. A correct understanding of Paul’s teaching here allows the student of eschatology to avoid many of the most common end-times errors and instead to see the consistency of the Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures. This article will explore 1 Corinthians 15 and identify key points in the doctrine of the Resurrection.

DEFINITION OF RESURRECTION

Before we begin our investigation, we need to define our terms. When we use the word “Resurrection,” we are referring to the general resurrection of all the righteous that will occur on the last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24). There are several events that characterize the Resurrection. First, Jesus Himself is the One who “will raise up” the righteous (again, John 6:39, etc.). The Resurrection occurs at the same time that the Lord Jesus descends from heaven with a shout (1 Thess. 4:16). The Resurrection includes both all those who are dead in Christ at His coming (παρουσία) and all those in Christ who are alive at His coming (1 Thess. 4:15-17).

THE PRIMARY MEANING OF “RESURRECTION”

The primary event in the Resurrection is that all the righteous of all time receive their eternal glorified bodies. Technically, “resurrection,” as used in reference to the general resurrection, does not mean merely rising from the dead (for those who are living will also be resurrected), but means “being glorified.” In the Resurrection, then, all the righteous of all time are glorified. Much of the teaching about our glorification comes from the chapter we are studying, namely 1 Corinthians 15.

Now that we have established the meaning of Resurrection, we will dig into select verses from 1 Corinthians 15.

23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 Then comes the end. . .

Paul is writing about the order of the resurrection. He has begun his teaching in this chapter by establishing the fact of the general resurrection from the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection is an indisputable, undeniable fact, and since Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead, we know that we also will be resurrected.

“But what will be the timing of our resurrection?”

First, Paul describes Jesus’ resurrection as the “first fruits of those who are asleep” (see 15:20, also). “First fruits” was a term from the Old Testament which devoted the best of the harvest to the Lord and which also anticipated that the full harvest was certainly coming in. So here, Christ is the first and the best of those who will be resurrected and His resurrection guarantees that all His people will also be resurrected.

When will they be resurrected? In complete agreement with other Scriptures (see above), the Resurrection of all those who are Christ’s will occur at His coming (παρουσία) on the last day and will occur just before the end. Whether alive or “asleep,” all the righteous will rise glorified to meet their King as He descends with a shout to judge the earth. And then comes the end.

Thus from 15:23 we learn that 1) Christ’s resurrection guarantees the resurrection of all those who are in Christ; 2) the general Resurrection occurs at Jesus’ coming (παρουσία) 3) on the last day; 4) the end immediately follows.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

The apostle now goes on to explain the difference between our natural body and our glorified resurrection body. He is answering the rhetorical question asked in 15:35, “And with what kind of body do they come?”

15:42. First, he says, we go into the ground “in corruption.” This is the literal translation of the Greek. Anyone who has seen a dead body understands what Paul is saying. The dead physical body is no longer of any use and lies motionless and cold, but it will soon be “sown” into the ground where it will gradually decompose and return to dust (Gen. 3:19). Thus it is sown in corruption.

But the resurrection body is not like that. When we are raised, we will be given glorified bodies that will never see corruption or decay (Psalm 16:10b).

15:43a. We go into the ground “in dishonor.” There was a time when our body was young and supple and strong and we proudly walked on the beach in our bathing suit. But the natural body does not bear the test of time, and soon we are stooped and stiff and saggy. Then finally we enter the ground in complete humiliation. All beauty is gone from our earthly body.

But the resurrection body is not like that. The resurrection body will be revealed in dazzling glory (Phil. 3:21). Our resurrection body will be like the glorified body of Jesus (1 John 3:2), whose glory is so powerful that just a momentary glimpse blinded Saul the Pharisee for three days (Acts 9:3-9). So will our bodies be, unimaginably beautiful and sinless and perfect.

15:43b. We go into the ground “in weakness.” There is nothing so weak and useless as a dead body. At the instant of death, all remaining strength vanishes. If standing, the body collapses to the ground. If lying down, all muscles immediately go limp. The earthly body that goes into the ground is the supreme example of weakness.

But the resurrection body is not like that. Our resurrection body will be marked with power, and that power will never diminish. We will have, in our glorified bodies, the power to do whatever works we are called to do throughout eternity with never a trace of fatigue.

We have more to learn about the Resurrection from the apostle Paul. Our study of this chapter will continue in the next post.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 5/8/2023                     #648

A case for the 42 months being a literal period of time

POST OVERVIEW. A refresher on the 42 months from Revelation 11-13, reviewing what the Scripture says about this end-times concept. Related to post #641, 4/16/2023, on the “thousand years.”

I have written before at length about the end times, both on numerous posts on this site and in my book, “The Last Act of the Drama: a guide to the end times,” but lately I have felt that it might be beneficial to give some refreshers.

THE 42 MONTHS IN REVELATION

One of the most important interpretive decisions that the student of Revelation makes is how he understands the timing of the major end times events and time periods in the book. In my view of Revelation, the events of the last days (the time period between Jesus’ ascension and great white throne judgment) fit into three named periods: the “thousand years,” the 42 months, and the last day. In a recent post (#641, 4/16/2023), I reviewed the events of the “thousand years” and placed the “thousand years” chronologically on a timeline. In this post, my main objective, but not my only objective, is to demonstrate that “the 42 months” of Revelation 11-13 should be understood as a literal time period.

REVIEW OF THOUSAND YEARS. Looking back to Post #641, we saw that, rather than a precise measurement of exactly one thousand 365-day years, the “thousand years” (Rev. 20:1-6) was simply a figurative expression for a long period of time. That is, since “thousand” in Revelation most often simply means a very large number, the “thousand years” simply means a very long, non-specific period of time. In my previous post, I also explained from Revelation and other Scriptures that the “thousand years” begins during the ascension of Jesus to heaven between Acts 1:9 and Rev. 5:6. Then, according to Rev. 20:3 and 20:7, the “thousand years” ends when Satan (the dragon) is released from the abyss. Thus, the period of the 42 months begins with Satan’s release.

42 MONTHS A LITERAL TIME PERIOD OR FIGURATIVE?

There are seven occurrences of the “42 months” in the Scriptures: Daniel 7:25 and 12:7; and Revelation 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; and 13:5. The first thing we want to consider as we interpret these occurrences of the 42 months is whether this is a literal time period of three-and-a-half years or whether the expression “42 months” is to be understood figuratively as just a relatively short period of time. When I was studying end-times passages for my book on the end times two years ago, my position on the 42 months (or the “time and times and half a time” or the 1,260 days) was that this expression was “relatively literal,” in that it figuratively meant a short period of time compared to the long period of the thousand years. This position was not based on in-depth exegesis or on a clear principle, so this idea of “relatively literal” was weak. But since that time, as I have continued to study these things, my position on the meaning of the 42 months has changed. I am now persuaded that the “42 months” is a literal time period of 42 calendar months in duration. I have come to this conclusion for three reasons:

  1. John mentions this period of time five times in Revelation in three different ways; “42 months” (Rev. 11:2; 13:5); “1,260 days” (Rev. 11:3; 12:6); and “time and times and half a time” (Rev. 12:14). It would be very odd for him to mention a figurative period of time in three different ways.
  2. None of these expressions of 42 months has any figurative significance that I can discern, so it is unlikely that the time span is figurative.
  3. There are two other expressions of the 42 months which are located in Daniel (“time, times, and half a time” in 7:25 and 12:7), bringing to seven the total number of times that the 42 months is mentioned in an end-times passage in the Scriptures. Seven mentions of the same time period is very significant and is strong evidence for a literal understanding.  

These three reasons taken together make a very persuasive case that the 42 months is a literal time period.

THE EVENTS DURING THE 42 MONTHS

According to my view of the last days, the “thousand years” is a time of relative peace where the primary end-times activity consists of the faithful church riding out to conquer the nations with the bow of the gospel (Rev. 6:1-2). Satan is locked in the abyss (Rev. 20:3) so that he will not thwart the work of the church to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20).

But at a point in time known only to the Lord, Satan “must be released for a short time” (Rev. 20:3). This “short time” is the period of the 42 months. With the release of Satan from the abyss, the time period of the 42 months begins and world history takes a dramatic turn toward the end of the age. The following are comments about the 42 months.

  1. There are three main purposes for the 42 months.
    • Lawlessness increases so that the rebellious world is prepared for judgment.
    • The church gathered during the “thousand years” is purified by persecution.
    • Final warnings and calls for repentance are issued for the unrighteous.
  2. The 42 months begins with Satan’s release from the abyss (Rev. 20:3, 7) and ends on the cusp of the last day as the nations are gathered for Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:19; 20:8-9) and the destruction of the church.
  3. With a couple of exceptions, the events of the 42 months are given only in Revelation. Since there is not a biblical cross-reference for these events, care must be taken as the student pieces these events together.
  4. A proposed flow of events of 42 months. Satan’s release begins the 42 months. Satan makes war in heaven (Rev. 12:7-8) but he is defeated and thrown to earth (Rev. 12:9ff). This event is parallel with Rev. 8:10 and the great star from heaven (Satan). This “star” opens “the shaft of the abyss” (9:1) and releases demonic forces on the earth. These are part of the trumpet warnings for the unrighteous to repent. In 12:12, Satan’s wrath will result in woe on the earth. The church is purified through persecution (Rev. 6:9-11; 11:3-10, esp. 7; 13:7, 10, 15), the rise of the antichrist in the person of the beast (Rev. 13:1-10); the rise of the false prophet (“another beast,” Rev. 13:11-17), and the gathering of the kings of the earth and the forces of wickedness against the faithful church for the annihilation of the church (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:19; 20:8-9). The conclusion of the 42 months prepares the world for the cataclysmic events of the last day.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 4/17/2023                   #642

A detailed review of the “thousand years” (Rev. 20:1-6)

POST OVERVIEW. A refresher on the “thousand years” from Revelation 20:1-6, reviewing what the Scripture says and how to interpret and understand this difficult passage.

I have written before at length about the end times, both on numerous posts on this site and in my book, “The Last Act of the Drama: a guide to the end times,” but lately I have felt that it might be beneficial to give some refreshers on the key concepts.

THE “THOUSAND YEARS”

The “thousand years” is admittedly a difficult topic but it is also an important one. Misinterpreting the meaning of the “thousand years” can lead the student of the end times away from biblical teaching about the end of the age and about the return of Jesus and into confusing man-made concepts and ideas. As seekers of biblical truth, we must cling to the Scriptures until they reveal their truth to us and must resist the temptation to simply adopt a popular view or to be influenced by a persuasive teacher.

When studying these questions about the “thousand years,” we should turn to Rev. 20:1-6 and observe what the Bible asserts, that Satan (the dragon) is bound in the abyss for “a thousand years” (Rev. 20:2, 3). This is plain from this passage of Scripture and we know that the Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35), so first we conclude that Satan is bound for the thousand years. Next, Rev. 20:4 says that “the souls of those who had been beheaded and of those who had not worshiped the beast came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Rev. 20:6 adds that these will reign with Christ for a thousand years. So, with this basic interpretation of these verses on the thousand years, we see that, during the thousand years, while Satan (the dragon) is bound in the abyss, the souls of the saints are reigning with Christ in heaven. So far, so good.

But we must go deeper than this if we are going to draw any real meaning from this passage. We must seek to answer two obvious questions:

  1. What is the nature of the “thousand years?” That is, is it a literal period of time or is it a figurative expression?
  2. When does the “thousand years” occur?

Only after answering these two questions can we begin to fully understand the meaning of the “thousand years.” Here I will try to (briefly) describe my view. (By the way, I published a book in October 2021 called “The Last Act of the Drama: a guide to the end times.” That book expresses most of my thoughts on these things in more detail. It is available on Amazon.)

  1. The “thousand years” is not a literal time period but is simply an expression for a long period of time. Numbers in Revelation, especially numbers like 3, 7, 12, and 1000, often have figurative significance. The number “thousand” in Revelation is usually figurative and simply means a really big number. That means that “thousand years” does not mean 365,000 days. It just means a really long time.
  2. The “thousand years” must begin at least a thousand years before the resurrection of the saints (1 Thess. 4:14-17; 1 Cor. 15:23, 51-54), because we know that the resurrection of the saints will be on the last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 11:24). Directly related to this is the fact that Jesus’ coming occurs at the same time as the resurrection of the saints (1 Thess. 4:15-17; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 John 3:2). Thus, the “thousand years” must begin long BEFORE the resurrection of the saints and the return of Jesus because the “thousand years” cannot occur after the last day.
  3. (From 2) The binding of Satan in the abyss, which is the event that begins the thousand years (Rev. 20:2, 3), occurs at least a thousand years before the coming of Jesus and the Resurrection.
  4. The “angel” (Rev. 20:1) who binds the dragon (Satan) in the abyss is the risen Lord Jesus, for only the Son of God has the power and authority to throw Satan around like a rag doll.
  5. In Rev. 20:4, John sees “thrones.” In Revelation, thrones are always in heaven, so “the souls of those who had been beheaded . . .” are in heaven. Also in Rev. 20:4, John explicitly sees “souls” in heaven with Christ,” not glorified saints. Thus, we know the “thousand years” occurs before the resurrection, because “souls” only exist until the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42-44, 51-54).
  6. In Psalm 110:1, the conversation between the LORD (Father) and the Lord (Son) took place when Jesus returned to heaven after His victorious death and resurrection. After that, the Lord (Jesus) has been seated at the LORD’s (Father’s) right hand until His judgment of His enemies.
  7. The beginning of the “thousand years” occurs during the ascension of Jesus, between Acts 1:9 and Revelation 5:6. Jesus (“the angel” in Rev. 20:1) binds Satan in the abyss (Rev. 20:2, 3) and then arrives in heaven (Rev. 5:6) where He begins His reign with the souls of the faithful saints.
  8. In a “simplified” timeline of the events of the last days, Jesus ascends (Acts 1:9), binds Satan in the abyss (Rev. 20:2, 3), thus beginning the “thousand years,” and takes His seat at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1). The victorious Lamb (Rev. 5:6) sends out (Rev. 6:2) the commissioned (Matt. 28:19-20) church to proclaim the gospel to the nations for the “thousand years.” At the end of the “thousand years,” Satan is released from the abyss (Rev. 20:3, 7) and his release begins the 42 months. Satan makes war in heaven (Rev. 12:7-8) but he is defeated and thrown to earth (Rev. 12:9, etc.). The events of the 42 months include the persecution of the church (Rev. 6:9-11; 11:3-10, esp. 7; 13:7, 10, 15), the final “trumpet” warnings to the unrighteous to repent (Rev. 8:6-9:21), the rise of the beast (Rev. 13:1-10) and the false prophet (“another beast,” Rev. 13:11-17), the increase of lawlessness (Matt. 24:12), the apostasy of the visible church (2 Thess. 2:3), and the gathering of the kings of the earth and the forces of wickedness against the faithful church to attempt the annihilation of the church (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:19; 20:8-9). On the last day, the faithful church is rescued by resurrection (Rev. 11:11-12) and rises to meet the descending Lord Jesus (1 Thess. 4:15-17; Rev. 19:11-16). The Lord brings wrath and judgment on the unrighteous and slays them all (Rev. 19:20, 21). The final event is the great white throne where the unrighteous are condemned into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15).

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 4/16/2023                   #641

Two riders on white horses (Rev. 6:2 and Rev. 19:11)

POST OVERVIEW. This post compares the rider on the white horse of Rev. 6:2 with the Rider on the white horse of Rev. 19:11 to reveal how to interpret these two passages.

THE CONTEXT OF THE RIDERS

In Revelation 5, the victorious Lamb is given a scroll sealed with seven seals, and the Lamb is the only one worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals. He breaks the first seal and a rider on a white horse rides out “conquering and to conquer” (Rev. 6:2). Then later, in Rev. 19:11, we encounter another Rider on a white horse who “judges and wages war.” In this post, by comparing these two riders, we will show what these two symbols represent and how beautifully they relate to one another.

As is evident from this chart, the parallels between the riders are both profound and intentional. The first rider of Rev. 6:2 represents the commissioned church as it rides out at the very start of the gospel age conquering the nations with the bow of the gospel.  Then on the last day, at the very end of the gospel age the Lord Jesus comes from heaven to judge the rebellious nations and to pour out God’s wrath on all those who oppose Him. The first rider (6:2) goes out to proclaim the gospel message, a message which is able to bring the dead to life, but the second rider (19:11-21) goes out with a sharp sword, a sword which will put the living to death.

“Behold, a white horse!” But the appearance of the different horses produces very different responses. The white horse in Rev. 6:2 carries a rider who is proclaiming the good news of the gospel, so when the shout “Behold!” is heard for this white horse and rider, joy begins to spread. Armed with the bow of the gospel, this rider is conquering the nations to bring many into the King’s army. This rider is welcome because he brings good news. This is the proclamation of the favorable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19), the announcement of “the acceptable time” and “the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:1-2). This is the opening of the gospel age, the time of the great ingathering of the elect as the Gentiles are called from every tribe and tongue to repent and believe in Jesus.

By contrast, when the nations hear “Behold, a white horse!” for this second Rider (Rev. 19:11), it will be a time of horror and despair. The Rider on this white horse “judges and wages war.” “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations” (Rev. 19:15). The second sounding of “Behold!” announces the end of the gospel age and declares that the time for mercy is forever past. Now there is only “a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES” (Heb. 10:27). When the shout “Behold!” is heard to warn of this Rider’s approach, it is only a notice that all hope is to be abandoned, for “there will be delay no longer” (Rev. 10:6).

SUMMARY AND INTERPRETATION

We have shown that there is an obvious parallel between the two riders on white horses who are located at the beginning and the end of the gospel age. The rider sent out at the breaking of the first seal in Rev. 6:1-2 represents the commissioned church going out to proclaim the gospel message to the nations. The Rider who rides out in Rev. 19:11-21 is the Lord Jesus coming “to judge the living and the dead” (2 Tim. 4:1) on the last day as He “strikes down the nations” (Rev. 19:15).

The interpretation that we have proposed emerges entirely from these two texts, but there are other passages in Revelation which connect with these riders and which strengthen and clarify other points of interpretation. A future post will explore those connections.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 2/25/2023                   #628

Two “last day” doctrinal truths – implications for Revelation

POST OVERVIEW. Exploring the implications of the two doctrinal truth we discovered in Post #626 (2/22/2023). Doctrinal Truth 1: The Resurrection of the saints occurs on the last day. Doctrinal Truth 2: The coming of the Lord Jesus occurs on the last day. This post will explore the implications for Revelation.

In a recent post (#626, 2/22/2023), our exegesis of verses from John 6 along with careful study of 1 Thess. 4:15-17 (and other verses) had revealed two significant doctrinal truths. First, the Resurrection of the saints occurs on the last day and second, the coming of the Lord Jesus also occurs on the last day. These two truths have profound implications for our understanding of many of the eschatological passages in the Bible, because now when we see a passage involving the coming of the Lord, we know that this occurs on the last day. Likewise for passages displaying the resurrection of the saints, we know that these events are occurring on the last day. This post will examine passages from the book of Revelation in light of these “last day” truths and will demonstrate how being able to identify when these events occur helps us better interpret Revelation.

THE REVELATION PASSAGES CONSIDERED

REVELATION 20:1-7 AND THE THOUSAND YEARS. The first passage we will consider is Revelation 20:1-7 and the matter of the thousand years. Our OBJECTIVE in this mini-study of these verses is to determine when the thousand years occurs or at least when the thousand years definitely does not occur in light of one or both of these two doctrinal truths.

By way of background, there are many believers who hold to a view of the end of the age which places the thousand years of Revelation 20 after the coming of Christ. But we have discovered the doctrinal truth that the coming of Jesus is on the last day. Therefore, it is impossible for the thousand years to occur after the coming of Jesus.

This leads to the following conclusion:

Any view of the end times that sees the thousand years of Revelation 20 as occurring after the coming (παρουσία) of Christ is incorrect, because that view is in conflict with an established doctrinal truth.

REVELATION 6:12-17. This is the great day of the wrath of the Lamb, which, of course, is a picture of the coming of Jesus on the last day. So, this occurs on the last day.

REVELATION 11:11-13. In a scene reminiscent of Ezekiel 37, we see the saints rising to their feet and ascending heavenward. This is a figurative picture of the Resurrection, which occurs on the last day.

REVELATION 14:19-20. Although this text does not explicitly mention the coming of Jesus, we know from Rev. 19:15 that, in His coming, Jesus is the One who “treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty,” and here in Rev. 14 we see the same “great wine press of the wrath of God” (14:19). It is certain that these two texts (Rev. 14:19 and Rev. 19:15) describe the same event and that, although not mentioned in Rev. 14:19, Jesus is the one who produces the blood from the wine press. This event occurs on the last day.

REVELATION 19:11-21. The Rider on the white horse! This is the climactic scene in the book of Revelation as Jesus comes to strike down the nations that oppose Him and to throw the beast and the false prophet (and Satan, 20:10) into the lake of fire. Again, the last day.

SUMMARY OF REVELATION PASSAGES – TWO FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES

Before we leave Revelation to see other last-day passages in the Scriptures, we should consider the significance of what we have discovered. Answering the “when does this occur?” question is one of the most challenging features of a study of Revelation, but by establishing doctrinal truths and then interpreting the text on the basis of those truths, we have been able to answer the “when” question for some very important passages and thus to develop two foundational principles for interpreting Revelation.

  1. The period of time called THE THOUSAND YEARS in Revelation 20 does not occur AFTER the coming of the Lord (as proven above). and
  2. Because events of the last day appear in at least four different chapters throughout the book, we know that Revelation is not to be interpreted in chronological order. Instead of reading these visions as sequentially arranged, the student must examine the content and the context of each vision to determine when it occurs and where it fits with the other visions.

In the next post, we will continue to explore the implications of these two “last-day” doctrinal truths in other eschatological passages of Scripture.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 2/24/2023                   #627

Studies from John 6 – When is Jesus coming?

POST OVERVIEW. A Bible study based on the teaching of John 6 intended to determine when the coming of the Lord occurs.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study in the Scriptures is to determine when the coming of the Lord occurs. This could also be the question, “When will Jesus be revealed?” or “When will the appearing of the Lord occur?”

FROM JOHN 6. We will begin with Jesus’ teaching in John 6 and asking the question,

“According to Jesus, when does the Resurrection occur?”

39  “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing but raise it up on the last day.” Jesus is speaking about those who will be saved. He will raise them up on the last day.

40 ”For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus Himself will resurrect all believers on the last day.

44 ”No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus will raise up on the last day all whom the Father draws.

 54 ”He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Once again, Jesus will raise them up on the last day.

A final reference will be from John 11:24.

24 Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” In this conversation between the Lord and Martha about Lazarus, Martha knows that Lazarus will rise on the last day.

Based on five unambiguous verses from the gospel of John, we can say with complete confidence that:

The Bible teaches that the Resurrection occurs on the last day.

This now becomes a doctrinal truth for all other Bible study.

(NOTE: “The Resurrection” is defined as the event when God’s people receive their glorified, resurrection bodies. Thus, the Resurrection is the believer’s glorification.)

But our OBJECTIVE as stated above was to discover when the coming of the Lord occurs according to the Scriptures. Why start with when the Resurrection occurs? It is because the timing of the Resurrection and the timing of the coming of the Lord are related.

The Bible also teaches that the coming (παρουσία) of Jesus occurs at the same time as the Resurrection of the saints.

SCRIPTURAL PROOF

FROM COLOSSIANS 3:4. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

The verse tells of the future time when “Christ is revealed,” which certainly speaks of the coming of the Lord in glory. Note that, at that time, “(we) also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Christ is revealed in glory at the same time that we are revealed with Him in glory. The coming of the Lord and the Resurrection occur at the same time.

FROM PHIL. 3:21.  Christ “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” Jesus will transform us into glorified saints. Our bodies will be conformed to His glory. When will this occur? When He is revealed in glory, of course. Thus this verse teaches that we will be transformed at the time when Jesus is revealed.

FROM 1 JOHN 3:2. “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him.” In this verse, John says what Paul has said in Colossians and Philippians. When Christ appears, He will be coming in blazing glory. And John says, “We will be like Him.” This must mean that we are going to be glorified (resurrected) when Christ comes. In other words, His coming and our Resurrection occur at the same time.

FROM 1 THESS. 4:15-17. This section of 1 Thess. is explicitly about the timing of the Resurrection. In these three verses, Paul unambiguously teaches how the coming of Christ relates to the Resurrection of the saints. We will quote the whole passage.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

The apostle gives the details of the “coming of the Lord,” and he also supplies the order of the Resurrection. At “the coming of the Lord” or when “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven,” the Resurrection of the saints will occur. Saints who have “fallen asleep” (“the dead in Christ”) will be resurrected first, then saints who are still alive will be resurrected next. Then the resurrected saints will meet the descending Lord Jesus in the air. In the clearest possible words, Paul says that the coming of the Lord happens at the same time as the Resurrection of the saints.

[FURTHER NOTES: There can be some confusion about what happens after the glorified saints “meet the Lord in the air” (4:17), but the Bible is not unclear about this. See my teaching on this in Post #625 from February 22, 2023.]

Now, since the Bible teaches that the Resurrection occurs on the last day, and since we have shown that coming of the Lord occurs on the same day as the Resurrection of the saints, we can state as a doctrinal truth that the coming of the Lord occurs on the last day.

The Bible teaches that the coming of the Lord occurs on the last day.

IMPLICATIONS: In the course of this study, we have established two doctrinal truths. First, the Resurrection of the saints occurs on the last day, and second, the coming of the Lord occurs on the last day. Our next post will consider some of the implications of these truths.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 2/22/2023                   #626

What happens after we ‘meet the Lord in the air’? 1 Thess. 4:17

POST OVERVIEW. A brief exegesis of 1 Thess. 4:17 and the phrase “meet the Lord in the air.” What does the Scripture teach about this phrase? What happens after we “meet the Lord in the air?”

Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. – 1 Thess. 4:17

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR?

The fourth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians contains some of the apostle’s clearest teaching about the coming of the Lord and the Resurrection of the saints, but Bible students can still have questions about these events. One of the points of confusion can be about what happens after the glorified saints “meet the Lord in the air” (4:17), but the Bible is not unclear about this. The saints meet the descending Lord Jesus in the air and then we come with Him to earth as “He judges and wages war” (Rev. 19:11). Let’s explore what the Scripture says about this event.

THE NATURE OF JESUS’ MISSION

First, the nature of Jesus’ mission at His coming requires that He come to earth after the saints meet Him in the air. When Jesus comes, He is coming to “strike down the nations and to rule them with a rod of iron and to tread out the wine press of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty” (Rev. 19:15). “There will be delay no longer” (Rev. 10:6). At His first advent, Jesus came to be a Savior and to be a sacrifice for sin, but when He comes at the end of the age, He will come as a judge to punish all sin. The time for mercy and grace will be over. Then Jesus “judges and wages war.” His mission will be to render recompense, and so we see Him throwing the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20) and then we see Him rendering punishment on all unredeemed mankind. “And the rest (‘of the kings of the earth and their armies’ 19:19) were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of Him who sat on the horse” (Rev. 19:21). At the end of Revelation 19, Jesus has killed all those who oppose Him. (See also Rev. 14:19-20.) Therefore, because of the nature of His mission, Jesus must continue to earth after the saints meet Him in the air.

THE SAINTS COME WITH JESUS

But second, we also have the clear teaching of the Scriptures that tells us that the saints meet the Lord in the air and then come with Him back to earth. In 1 Thess. 3:13, Paul says that “we will be without blame in holiness at the coming of our Lord Jesus WITH all His saints.” In 4:14, again Paul says, “God will bring WITH Him (with Jesus) those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” In Rev. 19:14, a verse that describes the Lord Jesus as He descends from heaven to judge the nations, we read, “The armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him (Jesus) on white horses.” The glorified saints, by their resurrection, have joined their King’s army and now come with their King as He judges the nations.

CONCLUSION

Thus, from Scripture’s clear teaching, after the saints “meet the Lord in the air,” they proceed to come to earth with the descending Lord Jesus as He comes to judge and wage war.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 2/22/2023                   #625